What would Menachem Begin say about democracy’s state in today’s Likud? – editorial

An editorial from The Jerusalem Post examines the state of democracy within Israel's Likud party, suggesting that its founder, Menachem Begin, would be dismayed by current practices. Begin, who stated, "without an opposition, there can be no democracy," championed the freedom to disagree. However, recent events indicate a shift towards demanding unquestioning loyalty within the party.

• Veteran Likud MK David Bitan accused the Prime Minister's Office of pressuring ministers and MKs to record videos supporting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposals ahead of an internal party vote. Bitan stated, "The Prime Minister's Office is asking for videos – videos supporting his proposals. The prime minister appoints them as ministers; the prime minister can dismiss them from those positions... so people are under pressure. They're afraid in this situation."
• Earlier, Likud MK Dan Illouz had warned against weakening the party's primary system, emphasizing, "We're very proud to be the only democratic party right now in the Knesset."
• The party's internal court had to intervene to ensure primaries proceeded democratically after attempts to alter the process.
• These concerns, along with previous allegations of members being instructed to film their votes as proof of loyalty, suggest a political culture where obedience is increasingly expected over robust debate.

The article concludes that if Likud continues to prioritize conformity over unity, it risks losing voter support and potentially finding itself in the opposition, a position Begin considered vital for democracy.