Battle in Likud escalates: Netanyahu abroad, decision delayed at the last moment

The Likud leadership postponed the deadline for registering for the primaries to Monday, to allow MKs to decide between a national list and districts after Netanyahu's return from abroad and to await the ruling on appeals submitted to the party's court.

The Likud leadership postponed the deadline for registering for the primaries, which was supposed to end today, to Monday. The decision was made due to Prime Minister Netanyahu's absence in the US and the desire not to finalize matters in his absence. Additionally, appeals were submitted to the Likud court regarding the decision to allow MKs to run in districts, and the leadership wants to await a legal ruling. Many MKs have not yet decided whether to run on the national list or in a district, and some registered for both lists to maintain flexibility. The delay also has financial implications: candidates on the national list will receive about 380,000 shekels from the Knesset, while in districts the amount is lower, up to about 200,000 shekels in the largest district. On Monday, MKs who decided to switch to a district will have to return the surplus.