Likud primary results boost Netanyahu’s bid to reshape sinking party, win back voters

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed satisfaction with Monday's Likud primary results, believing the chosen party list will lead to a "big victory" in the October 27 election. The outcome saw several hardline candidates, whom Netanyahu reportedly feared would harm the party's general election popularity, pushed down the electoral slate. This move is seen as an effort by Netanyahu to moderate the Likud list, making it more appealing to voters who have shifted away from the party due to its recent leanings. Pollster Nimrod Nir noted that "A majority of Likud voters would want a government coalition with the more centrist parties, whereas two-thirds of party members would rather have the same ultra-right, ultra-Orthodox kind of government." Netanyahu's expanded control over reserved seats allowed him to shape the roster, aiming to win back voters and counter current polls showing Likud likely to secure fewer than 25 Knesset seats, a significant drop from its previous 32 seats.