Netanyahu Secures Expanded Control of Likud Knesset Slate

Overview

• The Likud Central Committee voted on Monday with roughly 3,387–3,400 members participating and approved Benjamin Netanyahu’s package to raise reserved Knesset slots from five to eight inside positions 2–29 on the party list.
• A clause led by Haim Katz that lets ministers, deputy ministers and sitting MKs compete for regional district seats passed by a six-vote margin and was paired with a redrawn regional map assigning specific list spots to combined districts.
• The party’s internal tribunal has ordered that primaries must take place and allowed for a delayed date or electronic voting if security conditions prevent normal in-person balloting.
• Reports say some of the new reserved spots are already earmarked for specific figures, including a promised place for Haim Katz and one tied to a merger with Gideon Sa’ar, and opponents have raised allegations of voting irregularities that could lead to legal challenges.
• Because Israel’s proportional system awards seats by list order, these rule changes directly affect who becomes a Knesset member and will shape Likud’s candidate slate, campaign strategy and post-election coalition bargaining.