Netanyahu's Likud must get its house in order if it hopes to perform this October - editorial

The Likud Party is in disarray days before its primary election, with the rules governing its next Knesset list still mired in controversy. Reserved positions, internal petitions, conflicting explanations, and last-minute decisions plague the process, drawing criticism that this is an improper way for Israel's governing party to approach a consequential internal election.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already secured eight slots for candidates of his choosing. Furthermore, party institutions have approved guaranteed positions for Defense Minister Israel Katz, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and Likud Central Committee chairman Haim Katz. These developments follow an earlier attempt to establish an emergency mechanism allowing a committee of Likud mayors to select the party list if security conditions prevented a primary, though the party tribunal insisted the primary must proceed.

While Likud primaries will still allow members to determine a significant portion of the list, and reserved positions are not inherently illegitimate, the current situation raises concerns. When substantial positions are removed from competition, exceptions are made shortly before voting, and the list's final structure remains subject to internal litigation, party members are left with a diminished choice. The message conveyed is that Likud members are trusted to provide the party with its democratic character but not fully trusted to determine its political direction.

The editorial questions Netanyahu's motives, citing a senior Likud source who suggested the prime minister is concerned that MK Tally Gotliv might secure a top-10 position, thereby shaping the list's public character. While a party leader may legitimately worry about candidates who could narrow the party's appeal or promote confrontational language, the piece argues that a broad national camp cannot be rebuilt by shielding preferred candidates from competition. Instead, it must be restored through leadership, persuasion, recruitment, and a clear political program. If Netanyahu believes parts of Likud have adopted an overly extreme, personal, or confrontational style, he should articulate this and make his case to the party, encouraging candidates who represent the national-liberal tradition he wishes to advance.