Former MK Mossi Raz Faces Legal Challenge Over Eligibility in Democrats Party Primaries

Mossi Raz, a former member of the Knesset and senior figure in Meretz, is facing a potential legal obstacle to his candidacy in the upcoming primaries of the Democrats party. It has already been confirmed that Raz cannot run under the reserved Meretz representation slot. However, a new report from Walla reveals that the party is currently examining a complex legal issue that could disqualify him entirely from running on the list.

The issue stems from Raz's registration with the Labor Party as part of the joint brand "The Democrats," while allegedly failing to officially cancel his membership in his original party, Meretz. This raises the question of whether Raz held dual party membership at the time of his registration, which is strictly prohibited under Israeli party law. The legal situation is further complicated because Labor and Meretz have not formally merged into a single party, and "The Democrats" currently functions only as an electoral brand rather than a legally unified party entity.

Party officials, including the Meretz secretary-general and senior Democrats members, have declined to comment on the matter. Raz himself rejected the allegations, stating, "There is no prohibition under party law against being a member of a party that is part of an alliance with another party." The outcome of this legal review could determine Raz's eligibility to participate in the upcoming primaries and affect the composition of the Democrats' candidate list.