A growing debate over how Likud will select its next Knesset slate has placed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at the center of a major internal battle, with reports indicating he is considering several significant changes to the party’s candidate-selection process ahead of the next election.

According to a report in Israel Hayom, Netanyahu and senior party officials are currently evaluating three primary options for determining Likud’s future Knesset list, a decision that could reshape the party’s internal balance of power.

Under the first proposal, the traditional primary system would be scrapped entirely and replaced by a selection committee. The committee would reportedly include local government leaders and other prominent figures affiliated with Likud and would be tasked with assembling the party’s candidate list.

A second option would preserve the primary system while substantially expanding the chairman’s authority to reserve spots on the slate for candidates of his choosing. The third alternative would leave the current system untouched, allowing primaries to proceed exactly as they do today.

One senior Likud minister predicted that the party will ultimately retain the primary process, although he believes Netanyahu will seek broader powers to place candidates on the list. “The grassroots won’t easily give up their right to choose,” he said.

Others within the party argue that meaningful reforms are necessary if Likud hopes to strengthen its electoral prospects. According to one senior faction official, “Likud must improve the quality of its candidate roster. Without significant personnel changes, the party could lose valuable votes in the next election.”

The political debate is unfolding alongside a parallel legal dispute over the party’s rules and procedures.

Likud Comptroller attorney Shay Galili has reportedly prepared a draft legal opinion stating that any effort to abolish the primary system would require broad approval from party members.

The draft further suggests that a major expansion of the chairman’s appointment powers could also face legal obstacles. According to the opinion, candidates cannot simply be inserted onto the slate without first participating in the party’s standard selection process.

Meanwhile, concerns regarding organized and financially supported party registrations continue to loom over the discussion. The issue has previously drawn scrutiny from the State Comptroller and remains a source of tension within the party.

Some Likud officials warn that if allegations regarding funded memberships are substantiated, the primary results could be significantly affected and new internal power centers could emerge.

“If the concerns materialize, independent power blocs could develop within Likud,” one party source said. “This is a direct threat to the stability of the faction and to the party’s ability to form and manage a stable coalition.”

{Matzav.com}