On the way to another drama in Likud: The contentious clause reaches the court
A week before the primaries, the Tel Aviv District Court is hearing a petition against the cancellation of the option for incumbent Knesset members to run in the districts. The ruling may affect the composition of the Likud list and the candidate selection process. Who was notable by their absence?
In the Tel Aviv District Court, a hearing is taking place today regarding the petition against the decision of the Likud party court to cancel the district clause. This provision would have allowed incumbent Knesset members to run for seats reserved for district representatives, effectively bypassing the standard primary process. At this stage, a dramatic decision is emerging, as it appears the judge will overturn the party court's ruling to disqualify the vote, thereby allowing MKs to run in the districts.
The implication is that the primaries will almost certainly be postponed, as a reorganization will be required for the MKs to re-register for the districts. If the judge does indeed overturn the decision, an appeal may be filed to the Supreme Court.
The petition was filed by MK Afif Abed, who intended to run in the Galilee district but was disqualified following the party court's decision. Joining his position was the legal advisor of Likud, Adv. Ilan Bombach, who demands that the court rule today due to the tight schedule, as the Likud primaries are expected to be held in exactly one week. The judge tends to accept Bombach's arguments regarding the lack of authority of the party court to disqualify the vote, effectively opposing the alleged "judicial activism" of the party court.
Infringement of equality?
About a week ago, the Likud party court determined that the decision approved in the party center by a narrow majority to cancel the restriction on MKs running in the districts cannot stand. This was, among other things, on the grounds that the move harms equality between the candidates and contradicts the Likud constitution.
At the center of the discussion, in which MK David Bitan was present, unlike Minister Haim Katz, is now the question of whether incumbent Knesset members will be able to use the district seats as an alternative route to the top of the list, or whether they will be forced to run in the national primaries against all the party's candidates.
During the hearing, the lawyer for Afif Abed offered to withdraw the petition by agreement, provided that Abed could still run in the Galilee district. Abed is the only Knesset member among those affected by the decision who filed a petition to the court.
Time is tight
The hearing is taking place against the backdrop of a broader internal struggle in Likud over the structure of the list ahead of the elections: on one side stands the demand to maintain equality and an open primary process, and on the other, the attempt to allow incumbent MKs and certain elements in the party a path that will guarantee them a place through the districts.
The ruling is expected to be particularly significant due to the schedule: any change in the bylaws or the way of running in the districts, a few days before the primaries, may directly affect the list of candidates and the internal struggle in Likud.
