Only Two Women in Top 20 as Netanyahu Faces Setback in Likud Candidate Battle

Internal battles within Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party have dramatically reshaped the party’s electoral list, with fierce contests between loyalists and rebels determining which candidates will stand for election. The competition has exposed deep fractures within Israel’s ruling party, as various factions fought for positions that could significantly influence the composition of the next Knesset.

Among the key contests was a tight struggle between a Netanyahu stalwart and a dissenting party member for a prominent position, alongside a narrow victory by one candidate over another in what observers described as a battle for a realistic final slot on the list. Separately, Keren Atiyah secured a notable achievement in the ordering process, signalling shifts in the party’s internal dynamics.

The process has highlighted a persistent gender imbalance within Likud’s hierarchy, with only two women appearing in the party’s top 20 candidate positions. This outcome underscores ongoing debates about female representation in Israeli politics and could become a sensitive issue for Netanyahu as the party heads towards elections.

The reshuffled list reflects not only personal rivalries and ideological divisions within Likud, but also broader questions about the party’s direction and priorities in the coming electoral cycle. As one of Israel’s largest and most influential political parties, the composition of Likud’s candidate list carries significant weight for potential coalition negotiations and government formation discussions that may follow the election.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.