Likud Demands Illegal 20,000 Shekel Fee from Primary Candidates, Risks Heavy Fine

The Likud party leadership has demanded that candidates for its upcoming primaries pay a participation fee of 20,000 shekels, despite uncertainty over whether the primaries will actually take place. This fee is double the legal limit set by the Political Parties Law, which caps candidate fees at 10,000 shekels per internal election. Violating this law exposes the party to a fine exceeding 513,000 shekels.

The demand was communicated in a letter sent on Thursday by David Sharan, acting CEO of the Likud movement, to Knesset members and ministers. Candidates were instructed to pay the fee via bank transfer from their personal accounts to the party’s account. Once a dedicated bank account for primary expenses is opened, candidates will be able to reclaim their participation fees.

The timing and rationale behind requiring payment now have raised questions, as the format and even the occurrence of the primaries remain unclear. To meet deadlines for funding requests to the Knesset Speaker, the party set Wednesday, July 15, 2026, as the sole deadline for submitting candidacies. The move has sparked controversy due to its potential legal repercussions and the lack of clarity surrounding the primary process.