142,000 Likud Members Vote in Contentious Primaries for Next Knesset List

On Monday, approximately 142,000 registered Likud party members across Israel voted in primaries to determine the party's candidate list for the upcoming Knesset elections. Voting took place from 10:00 to 21:00 at 107 designated polling stations nationwide, ranging from a club in Yehud to a gas station in Tamra. Members were asked to select 12 candidates from a national list of 39 and one candidate from their regional district. The districts, which have recently been fiercely contested, are reserved exclusively for new candidates, excluding current ministers and Knesset members. These districts were placed at the bottom of the list, starting from position 27, and some districts were merged, such as Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Shephelah into one.

After reserving spots for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other designated candidates, about 15 realistic slots remain for dozens of contenders. Netanyahu has also allocated reserved spots for ministers Israel Katz, Haim Katz, Gideon Sa'ar, and newcomer businessman Oren Dobronski, plus five additional reserved seats. This has resulted in one of the most crowded and competitive Likud primaries in recent memory. Most polls currently project Likud to win up to 25 Knesset seats.

The competition is split between roughly 60% free votes and 40% negotiated deals. Veteran party members hold an advantage in the deal-making segment, while new candidates aim to leverage their popularity among free voters. In the final hours before polls opened, activists and candidates worked to mobilize supporters and ensure commitments were fulfilled. The results, expected Tuesday morning, will reveal whether recent campaigns against certain candidates, including Nir Barkat and Tali Gottlieb, succeeded in pushing them down the list or if they maintained top positions.