Likud Primaries Feature 124 Candidates Competing for Limited Knesset Seats

The Likud party released its full list of 124 candidates for the upcoming primaries on Thursday evening, with 40 current and former ministers and Knesset members vying for a significantly reduced number of realistic spots on the national list. Despite the recent withdrawal of MK Eliyahu Revivo, 40 candidates remain competing for fewer than 20 viable positions, as party leader Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies have reserved 15 places, including a top 10 mostly secured for men and only three realistic spots for women out of eight prominent female incumbents.

Among the 14 senior officials with reserved slots are Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana, nine ministers including Eli Cohen, Yariv Levin, Nir Barkat, Yoav Kish, Miki Zohar, Shlomo Karhi, Avi Dichter, Amichai Chikli, and Dudi Amsalem, as well as four female ministers: Miri Regev, Gila Gamliel, May Golan, and Idit Silman. Coalition chairman Ofir Katz, a close Netanyahu ally, also holds a reserved position. Outside the national list, 84 additional candidates compete for guaranteed representation slots, including youth, immigrants, non-Jewish sector, people with disabilities, and women, as well as regional district seats.

Revivo, who was offered an ambassadorial post in the UAE by Netanyahu, announced his retirement from the primaries, citing the difficulty of securing a realistic spot due to the party’s reserved seats system. The primaries also feature intense competition at the top of the list, with veteran figures like Ohana, Regev, Cohen, and Levin battling for top five positions to strengthen their standing within the party.

Among notable challengers is MK Tali Gottlieb, who relies on grassroots support and is not part of any party deal, causing concern among the leadership. Other rising candidates include Almog Cohen, who recently received Netanyahu’s endorsement, MK Avichai Boaron, who was appointed to a senior Likud field operations role, and Hanoch Milvitzky, who commands a strong voter base in Petah Tikva. MK Moshe Saada, known for his focus on judicial reform, also stands out as a prominent figure in the race.

The primaries reflect internal party dynamics and the struggle of many established Likud members to maintain their Knesset seats amid Netanyahu’s strategic reservations and emerging challengers.