Likud Warns Supreme Court: Delay in Ruling Will Postpone Primaries by Two Weeks

The Likud party has urgently appealed to the Israeli Supreme Court for an immediate ruling on the ongoing dispute over whether current and former Knesset members and ministers can run in regional primaries. The party warned that without a swift decision, the primaries scheduled for the near future will be delayed by at least two weeks. This appeal follows a petition by MK Afif Abed, which was rejected by the Tel Aviv District Court, upholding the Likud party tribunal's decision to bar sitting and former ministers and deputy ministers from contesting in the district slots.

The Supreme Court has allowed the appeal to proceed and ordered responses from the respondents by noon Wednesday, ahead of the hearing. Likud emphasized that any change in the candidacy rules at this stage would require the party to reorganize candidate lists and voting ballots, making it impossible to prepare in time for the planned primaries.

The controversy centers on a narrow vote by the Likud convention to permit elected officials to run in district primaries. However, the party tribunal invalidated this result due to procedural flaws and inconsistencies in the voting process. The District Court criticized some tribunal reasoning but ultimately declined to overturn the disqualification, citing the slim margin and procedural defects.

With the final decision now resting with the Supreme Court, the party faces significant time pressure. The legal battle over district candidacies threatens to push back the primaries, complicating the party's preparations for upcoming elections.