The Likud Party began its primaries on Monday, with its approximately 140,000 registered members eligible to cast votes for candidates at polling stations nationwide throughout the day and determine who will make up the party’s Knesset slate ahead of the upcoming elections
The primaries come amid fierce internal tensions over changes that have expanded chairman Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s control over the party’s Knesset slate, which have made the primaries more competitive than in past years.
Candidates who receive realistic slots on the list could hold significant roles in the government if Netanyahu is to be elected as prime minister in the October 27 election.
The polling began at 10 a.m. and will continue until 9 p.m. at stations throughout the country, with the results expected to be announced later in the evening.
The over 100 candidates seeking to secure a slot on the party's list continued to campaign throughout the morning. Many posted pictures of themselves with Netanyahu, such as Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, who is expected to receive a high slot on the list.
Parties not required to hold primaries, Likud holds votes
Netanyahu stated on Sunday ahead of the primaries that he will join the voting and cast his ballot “for a winning slate.”
“I trust you, Likud members, to choose your representatives correctly, according to your own judgment. I am not interfering in the national list, and I wish everyone success,” Netanyahu added.
Likud has for years prided itself on conducting primaries in which its registered members are eligible to vote for the Knesset list. Parties are not required to hold primaries in Israel, and only a few do so.
Netanyahu pushed to change the system in recent weeks ahead of the primaries, leading to an especially competitive race with even fewer slots available than usual.
Netanyahu was granted the authority to determine eight slots within the first 30 spots on the party list last month following a vote on the controversial decision by the Likud Central Committee.
There were reports that Netanyahu had threatened to leave Likud if the proposed changes were not advanced.
Those within the party who oppose changing the primaries have argued that it will cause those who would otherwise score highly in the primaries to fall further down the list.
The Likud primaries are further competitive because the party currently has around 40 ministers and MKs serving in the government and Knesset, but recent polls project the party winning only about 22 seats, leaving many at risk of losing their places on the party’s Knesset list.
Further tensions surrounding the slots also come after the Tel Aviv District Court last week rejected Likud MK Afif Abed’s attempt to restore a narrowly approved change allowing current and former MKs, ministers and deputy ministers to run in the party’s district primaries, leaving the restrictions in place ahead of the vote.
Likud had announced last week that one of Netanyahu’s first reserved slots would go to entrepreneur and businessman Oren Dobronsky.
Additional reserved slots were later granted by Netanyahu to three ministers: Defense Minister Israel Katz, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and Likud Central Committee Chairman Haim Katz, who also holds multiple ministerial portfolios.
The party said its internal court ruled that the defense minister should receive a reserved slot in order to “allow him to focus on security needs rather than engage in politics at this time.”
Sa'ar to receive reserved slot as part of party merger
Likud also stated that Sa’ar would receive a reserved slot as part of the merger agreement between his party and Likud and that the Likud Central Committee chairperson would receive a slot due to his senior position in the party.
Sa’ar had announced in 2025 that his New Hope-United Right would be merging with Likud, and would be returning to the party. He previously resigned from Likud in 2020, heavily criticizing Netanyahu at the time.
The changes to the party’s primaries that have expanded Netanyahu’s control over the Knesset list have led to fierce internal tensions, with some party members in favor and others strongly against.
A fierce critic of changing the system has been MK Tally Gotliv, who is viewed as a candidate who would receive broad support from registered party members.
Gotliv has sharply criticized the Tuesday decision to reserve the slots for the three ministers, condemning the defense minister.
She called the decision to grant the defense minister a reserved slot “a disgraceful move that mocks Likud voters."
Likud MK Amit Halevi, who has expressed support for allowing the premier to reserve slots, told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday that the primaries “will be a democratic celebration in the Likud.”
“I wish more parties conducted themselves democratically like the Likud. Some 140,000 members, active, engaged citizens who make their voices heard and have an influence, will go to the polls tomorrow,” he added.
The primaries determine the Likud’s Knesset slate, with the party chairman placed first. Registered members then vote for candidates on the national list, while members from geographic districts vote for candidates from their respective districts.
Candidates chosen on the national list are combined with district representatives and places that guarantee representation for groups including women, immigrants, young members, and minorities. The regulations also reserve certain positions for candidates chosen by the party chairman.
The precise locations of those different categories are determined before each election through the party’s temporary election regulations. That is why the current fight has centered not only on whether primaries will take place, but on how much of the resulting slate the members will actually control.
Sarah Ben-Nun contributed to this report.