Likud Lawmakers Campaign Intensely Ahead of Primaries Amid Judicial Reform Debate

As the Likud party primaries approach, incumbent Knesset members and ministers are actively campaigning to secure realistic spots on the party list by presenting their positions on key issues to party members. Two main topics dominated the recent weekend primaries conferences: the judicial reform battle and media criticism. Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana framed the judicial debate as a question of sovereignty, asking whether the people or the judiciary hold ultimate authority. Justice Minister Yariv Levin took a harsher tone, comparing Supreme Court judges to dictators who suppress dissent, promising to continue fighting from the Justice Ministry.

Media criticism was another focal point, with candidates like Minister Eli Cohen accusing the press of downplaying Israel’s military successes in Lebanon and Syria. These issues primarily concern candidates vying for top spots on the list, as at least half of the current Likud MKs are unlikely to return to the next Knesset. The large number of reserved slots for Prime Minister Netanyahu, ten in realistic positions, has unsettled many incumbents, some openly opposing certain reserved candidates. MK Tali Gottlieb, for example, criticized the reserved slot for Israel Katz, questioning his merit.

With 140,000 Likud members voting, the real contest centers on the party’s character. Netanyahu aims to bring back right-wing voters who have drifted away by promoting candidates aligned with his vision. Minister Avi Dichter urged voters to carefully consider who should join Netanyahu’s team, invoking a historical analogy about loyalty and vigilance. Meanwhile, "free voters" within Likud are gravitating toward more vocal and aggressive candidates like Gottlieb, whose popularity among members complicates Netanyahu’s preferences. In a related development, a prominent rabbi publicly endorsed Netanyahu’s candidates during a phone campaign to boost their primary prospects.