Likud Party Faces Internal Conflict Over Primary Rules and Candidate Selection

The Likud Party is preparing to hold its primary on Monday to determine its next Knesset list. The process has been marked by internal petitions, conflicting explanations, and last minute decisions regarding reserved positions. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been granted eight slots for candidates of his choosing, and party institutions have approved guaranteed positions for Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and Likud Central Committee chairman Haim Katz. These developments follow a rejected attempt to create an emergency mechanism that would have allowed a committee of mayors to choose the list if security conditions prevented the primary. Additionally, Deputy Minister Almog Cohen, who has faced investigations over alleged assault and social media posts, announced he will participate in the primary. A center right source frames these rule changes as a failure of leadership to shape the party's political culture and a hollowing out of the democratic process. Meanwhile, a left leaning source frames the situation as Netanyahu changing rules specifically to allow a far right politician to run.