Likud Primaries Establish New Knesset Slate Ahead of October Elections

Energy Minister Eli Cohen won the top slot in the Likud party primaries held on Monday, leading a list of candidates for the upcoming legislative elections on October 27. Voter turnout was 53.5 percent, with approximately 76,000 party members participating. Other top candidates include Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Transportation Minister Miri Regev, and coalition chairman Ofir Katz. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been granted the authority to determine eight slots within the first 30 positions, a decision that has increased his control over the final slate. This authority allows the prime minister to swap candidates, which may push some individuals lower on the list. Several current ministers and MKs, including Gila Gamliel, Idit Silman, and May Golan, placed in unrealistic positions and are unlikely to be re-elected based on current polls projecting Likud will receive between 20 and 25 seats. Allegations of fraud were reported at a polling station in Yeruham, leading Minister Golan and MK Amit Halevi to file complaints. Netanyahu expressed satisfaction with the results, describing the list as one of renewal and integration. While center-right sources emphasize the strategic composition of the list to prevent a left-wing government, left-leaning sources frame the results as a victory for the far right and architects of the judicial overhaul. Center-left coverage focuses on the results as a reflection of Netanyahu's broader strategy to maintain his grip on power.