Likud Court Gives Netanyahu Two-Hour Ultimatum to Publish Reserved Slots

The internal legal clash within the Likud reached a boiling point on Monday as the party approached the final deadline for finalizing its candidate list for the upcoming Knesset elections. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has historically sought to keep his reserved slots confidential until the last possible moment to prevent internal friction, now faces a direct challenge from the party's own judicial arm.

Internal Pressure and Deadlines

The Likud Secretariat meeting, originally scheduled for earlier Monday to approve the reserved slots, has been repeatedly delayed. Reports indicate the meeting was pushed from 11:00 to the afternoon, with current estimates suggesting it will not convene before 16:00 on Tuesday in Jerusalem. This pattern of delays has intensified pressure from party members who demand transparency regarding the identity of those being placed in the reserved spots.

As The Zioneer reported in previous months, the issue of reserved slots has been a persistent source of friction. Earlier this summer, the Likud Constitution Committee approved eight reserved slots for Netanyahu, a compromise following his initial reported demand for ten. The current ultimatum from the party court suggests that the internal opposition to the Prime Minister's discretion remains potent as the clock runs out.

Analysis: The Strategic Delay

Netanyahu’s strategy of keeping the list close to his chest is a familiar political maneuver designed to minimize the window for disgruntled party members to organize a rebellion or for passed-over candidates to defect. However, the party court's intervention introduces a significant risk: a secret ballot. Unlike a public show of hands, a secret ballot allows members of the Likud institutions to vote against the Prime Minister's choices without fear of direct political retribution.

This development occurs against the backdrop of broader political shifts, including reports that MK Michael Biton has informed Benny Gantz of his departure from Blue and White to explore forming a new social-focused party. For the Likud, the internal stability of the list is paramount as final polls before the closing of the lists are analyzed to determine the party's electoral strategy.