Likud Primaries Begin as 142,000 Members Vote Amid Miri Regev's Accusations

On Monday, 142,000 registered members of Israel's Likud party began voting in primaries to select the party list for the upcoming Knesset elections. Voting opened at 10:00 a.m. across 80 polling stations nationwide and will close at 10:00 p.m. A total of 124 candidates are competing, with 79 vying for spots on the national list and 45 contesting regional slots. Voters receive two ballots: one to select 12 candidates on the national list, which includes reserved spots for immigrants, youth, and people with disabilities, and another to choose one candidate per district.

To secure a realistic position on the list, candidates are estimated to need at least 20,000 votes, with 25,000 votes required for higher rankings. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reserved eight slots on the list for himself and key allies, leaving only 17 realistic spots for 31 incumbent ministers and Knesset members, meaning 14 current lawmakers are likely to lose their seats.

The vote counting will be conducted manually under legal supervision immediately after polls close, with results centralized at the Likud command center in Bloomfield Stadium, Tel Aviv, expected late Monday night.

Transport Minister Miri Regev accused the El Al airline workers' union of attempting to sabotage her candidacy. Speaking on 103FM radio, she claimed the union distributed a list urging members not to support her, describing it as "blackmail and threats." Regev vowed to introduce a low-cost airline such as Wizz Air to compete with El Al, rejecting pressure from the union and airline management.