Likud Primaries Yield Few New Faces in Top 26, Netanyahu’s Reserved Slots Key

The recent Likud primaries revealed little change among the top 26 candidates for the Knesset list, with only Oren Dobronski, a Netanyahu appointee, standing out as a new face. While additional reserved slots by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could alter the lineup, the primaries alone are unlikely to bring many newcomers into the Knesset unless Likud significantly increases its seats or reactivates the Norwegian Law after winning the elections.

The primaries saw notable shifts in vote counts: Coalition Chairman Ofir Katz surged to fifth place with 4,527 more votes than four years ago, while Tali Gottlieb, despite Netanyahu’s efforts to limit her rise, gained the largest vote increase of 15,035. Other prominent figures like Miri Regev and Amir Ohana also improved their vote tallies by over 5,000. Conversely, Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter experienced the steepest decline, receiving about half his previous votes, and both Nir Barkat and Dudi Amsalem lost more than 10,000 votes each.

Winners of regional districts were placed from 27th downward, making their Knesset entry uncertain. Among them are Erez Tadmor, a journalist and Netanyahu supporter with a controversial past, and Shlomo Lerner, a reservist officer and businessman advocating tax relief for reservists. Shuki Ohana, former mayor of Safed, and Moshe Benjamin Peretz, deputy mayor of Netivot focusing on education and regional cooperation, also secured lower list positions.

The only new candidate among the top 40 not from district contests or reserved slots is Keren Atias Bublil, who won the "new woman" slot despite Netanyahu’s initial support for other candidates. Atias Bublil, deputy mayor of Nahariya, emphasized her public service record during her campaign.

Among the more controversial winners is former Bar Association head Effi Naveh, linked to a judicial appointment bribery scandal, who secured the 36th spot. Another district winner, businessman and basketball chairman Tzvi'el Rubin, placed 42nd and is unlikely to enter the Knesset. Overall, many district winners and newcomers face an uphill battle to secure realistic Knesset seats in the upcoming elections.