Court orders Likud to postpone vote on expanding Netanyahu’s control over party slate

A vote by the Likud Central Committee on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to expand his control over the party’s Knesset slate was halted by the Lod District Court. The court issued an injunction, requiring that all 150,000 Likud members, not just the 4,500 Central Committee members, be allowed to participate in the vote, as is mandated for changes to primary procedures. The proposal would grant Netanyahu eight reserved slots on the party list, including three in the top 10, a significant increase from the three he could pick in the top 30 in 2022. The Likud Social Forum, which filed one of the petitions, called the court’s decision “a victory for common sense.” Likud stated that Netanyahu “insists that every Likud member be able to exercise their right to vote” and will reschedule the vote.