Likud Lawmakers Facing Primary Defeat Eligible for Substantial Transition Grants
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
After the Likud primaries, outgoing MKs, including 17 from Likud, are eligible for transition grants ranging from three to six months' salary, with veteran members receiving up to 312,000 shekels. This system, explained by analyst Zvi Zarhiya, reflects longstanding policies amid expected party list changes ahead of the 2026 elections.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Outgoing MKs from Likud and other parties qualify for transition grants starting from their second year in office.
- Veteran MKs can receive up to 312,000 shekels, while current-term MKs get three months' salary (about 156,000 shekels).
- Seventeen Likud MKs are expected to retire following the primaries and polling shifts.
- Some senior MKs criticize the six-month salary cap on transition grants compared to private sector severance.
- MKs are considered public employees, and many secure high-paying private sector jobs post-tenure.
- The grant system was established in previous years and is now relevant due to anticipated Knesset turnover in 2026.
Following the recent Likud primaries and polls indicating significant changes in the party's Knesset list, political analyst Zvi Zarhiya revealed details about transition grants for outgoing members of Knesset (MKs). Zarhiya explained that any MK who retires is entitled to a transition grant starting from their second year in office. This applies across parties, with 17 Likud MKs expected to step down, alongside members from Yesh Atid and other parties.
The grants vary based on tenure: veteran MKs who retire can receive up to 312,000 shekels, while those serving only the current term are entitled to three months' salary, approximately 156,000 shekels. There are intermediate amounts for those with six years of service. Zarhiya noted some dissatisfaction among senior MKs regarding the cap of six months' salary for these grants, arguing that private sector workers with 15 years of experience would receive more substantial severance.
He emphasized that MKs are public employees, not typical private-sector workers, and many of the more skilled and connected MKs often secure lucrative positions with business tycoons after their political careers end. This financial support system follows arrangements established in previous years and is now particularly relevant given the expected turnover in the upcoming 2026 elections.
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