Bait, threats and 9 seats: Netanyahu's plan against right-wing parties

After the Likud primaries, Netanyahu received a convenient list, strengthening his control over the party. His main task now is to prevent the dispersal of right-wing votes in the elections, using nine reserved seats as a strategic tool.

After the completion of the Likud primaries, in which 75,177 people participated (53.5% of eligible voters), Benjamin Netanyahu received a list that significantly strengthened his control over the party. Eli Cohen took first place, Amir Ohana second, and Nir Barkat, considered a potential successor, suffered a serious blow to his position. Yariv Levin and Almog Cohen from Otzma Yehudit also found themselves among the leaders, confirming the preservation of the right-wing ideological course. Now Netanyahu faces the task of using nine reserved seats as a tool to prevent the creation of new right-wing parties and the dispersal of votes. Special attention is paid to potential transitions of losing candidates, for example, May Golan to Otzma Yehudit. The main strategic problem is the gap between party members who chose the list and the broader electorate that may vote for other right-wing parties.