Likud Infighting Intensifies Over Netanyahu's Demand for 10 Reserved Slots

The internal struggle over the democratic character and future composition of the Likud list has entered a more volatile phase. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently signaled a retreat from plans to cancel the primaries altogether, he has replaced that initiative with a demand for 8 to 10 reserved slots. This move is seen as an attempt to maintain control over the party's makeup while nominally preserving the primary process. However, the scale of this demand has triggered a backlash from the party's senior echelon.### Resistance to Reserved SlotsMaterial reviewed by The Zioneer Intelligence Desk indicates that the resistance is centered on the dilution of the democratic process. Senior Likud figures argue that 10 reserved slots would effectively neutralize the influence of the party's rank-and-file members and the power of the national list. The sentiment among some critics has shifted to a preference for an "arranging committee"—a mechanism that would formally end the primary system for this cycle—under the logic that such a move would be more transparently centralized than a primary hollowed out by a double-digit number of personal appointments.### Stalled Negotiations and Key PlayersThe negotiations remain deadlocked, with MK David Bitan emerging as a primary obstacle to the Prime Minister's request. Bitan, who has previously filed petitions to protect the primary process, has reportedly not yet agreed to the 8-10 slot compromise. Meanwhile, the Likud Constitution Committee is expected to convene as early as Thursday. If a compromise is reached, the party may move toward holding primaries in August, potentially involving an expansion of the national list at the expense of regional district candidates. The outcome will determine whether Netanyahu can successfully install a significant bloc of loyalists or if the party's traditional power centers will force a more limited arrangement.