"The final whistle" at Bloomfield is only the opening shot: these are Netanyahu's next challenges
Following months of tension within the ruling party, the conclusion of the primaries allows Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to focus on finalizing the electoral list. He faces the challenge of addressing low female representation and stabilizing the right-wing bloc, which has shown cracks due to friction with Haredi parties and the emergence of new political contenders.
The conclusion of the vote count at the Likud war room at Bloomfield Stadium marked the end of a period saturated with tension, political maneuvering, and the active participation of tens of thousands of party members. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can now focus on the upcoming political challenges, with just over two months remaining until the October 27 election.
Regarding the top five, Netanyahu can breathe a sigh of relief. Eli Cohen secured first place, Amir Ohana second, Yariv Levin third, Miri Regev fourth, and Coalition Chairman Ofir Katz recorded the most significant jump for a Knesset member on the list. However, not everyone is satisfied. MK Tali Gottlieb, who was pushed back following efforts by the Prime Minister's circle, expressed her frustration, as did MK David Bitan, who survived an aggressive campaign aimed at his political removal. Economy Minister Nir Barkat, accused of leading a putsch attempt against Netanyahu after October 7, barely held onto a realistic spot.
The issue of women and reserved spots
Netanyahu is now moving to shape the final list and allocate remaining reserved spots. The positions of ministers Israel Katz and Gideon Sa'ar in the top five are guaranteed. However, the list faces criticism for its lack of female representation, with only three women—Regev, Gottlieb, and Minister Gila Gamliel—among the first 30 spots. Senior ministers have called the 10 percent female representation unreasonable. Netanyahu is expected to use reserved spots to include women such as Keti Shitrit or Eti Atiya. Additionally, MK Michel Buskila of the New Hope party is expected to be placed toward the end of the second ten.
Arranging the bloc
The end of the primaries serves as the opening shot for the election campaign. Netanyahu intends to shift his focus to organizing the bloc, a task that proved successful in previous elections. However, the current situation is more complex, with cracks appearing in relations with Haredi parties. Netanyahu is also concerned about "free players" on the right, such as Moshe Feiglin, Gilad Erdan, and Ofer Winter, who is reportedly negotiating the creation of a new party. From the Likud chairman's perspective, these figures could siphon off votes and endanger the bloc he leads.
In the previous election, Netanyahu successfully united Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich to maximize their power. Now, the Likud campaign is expected to sharpen, with Netanyahu continuing to promote the idea of a "broad national government" to win back moderate supporters. The campaign will likely focus on his main rival, Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid. Despite recent pessimism, the primaries have provided a boost of energy to party ministers, fostering hope for a recovery.
