Change in Likud's election method: Netanyahu to select some of the party's representatives
The Likud party has announced a significant change in the way the party's representatives will be chosen for the next Knesset. According to the new decision, party members have authorized the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to personally select one-third of the candidates who will appear on the party's list for the elections.
Until now, most candidates in Likud were chosen through a "primaries" system, in which all party members vote for their preferred candidates. The new system changes this tradition and grants Netanyahu greater power in determining the composition of the list, without the need for a broad vote by the registered members.
The decision has sparked a wide public debate within Israel's political system. Supporters of the move argue that it will allow the Prime Minister to create a more unified and professional list, while critics of the move fear that it constitutes a blow to the party's internal democratic process and the ability of party members to exert influence.
The change is expected to affect the work of current Knesset members and new candidates seeking to join the list. Now, candidates will have to contend with the new reality in which some of the spots on the list are no longer dependent on internal elections, but rather on a direct decision by the party leadership.
The implications of the move will become fully clear ahead of the next election campaign. The Israeli public continues to follow the political developments in Likud, as it is one of the most central and influential parties regarding the national agenda in Israel.