With all ballots counted, Coalition Chairman Ofir Katz has secured a top-five finish in the Likud primary, according to The Zioneer. Katz, who placed 20th in the previous primary, is set to be positioned in the top ten of the party's final Knesset list — a dramatic leap from his 31st slot in the last election.
Final ballot counts confirm Coalition Chairman Ofir Katz has secured a top-five finish in the Likud primary, The Zioneer reports. The full tally solidifies the surge first reported by The Zioneer at 07:05 Tuesday, when 80% of ballots showed Katz overtaking senior ministers. Katz is now set to be positioned in the top ten of the party's final Knesset list, a dramatic ascent from his 31st slot in the previous election.
The results cap a rapid ascent for Katz during Tuesday's counting. At 06:06, reports indicated Katz had broken into the top five, overtaking several senior ministers, while three ministers — Avi Dichter, Idit Silman, and May Golan — were pushed out of realistic list positions. The Zioneer's earlier report at 07:05, based on 80% of ballots, confirmed Katz's momentum. The final count now cements his top-tier finish.
Katz's climb from 20th place in the prior Likud primary to a top-five finish underscores his growing influence as Coalition Chairman, a role in which he has managed legislative priorities for a coalition that has served a full term for the first time in 40 years, as The Zioneer reported on Jul 12. The outcome also follows internal discussions over reserved slots; on Aug 11, The Zioneer reported that Defense Minister Israel Katz would not receive a reserved top-five position amid internal backlash.
The exact order of the final Knesset list will be determined once district reserves are allocated, which may adjust the precise placement within the top ten.
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