Bibi hopeful
Photo: Yaron Brener
How will Feiglin's camp do?
Photo: Tehila Bramson
Seen as a moderate – Meridor
Photo: Yaron Brener
Likud set to elect Knesset roster
Nearly 100,000 registered Likud members have opportunity to select party's Knesset list ahead of upcoming elections; Netanyahu-Feiglin battle to draw most attention. Voter turnout rate expected to top 50%
Likud
set to elect Knesset list: With the party's prospects to win the next elections looking good, Likud's 99,000 registered members will given the opportunity to elect its Knesset roster Monday.
Meanwhile, veteran Likud Knesset members are concerned that high-profile new additions, including Benny Begin, Dan Meridor, and Moshe Yaalon will enjoy a strong showing Monday, thereby pushing incumbent MKs into lower spots on the party's Knesset list.
Polling stations will open at 10 am at 90 locations nationwide and remain open until 11 pm. The voter turnout rate is estimated be somewhere in the 50-60% range. Likud voters will be casting their ballots through a computerized system, in the hopes of averting the computer fiasco in the Labor primaries last week.
Three main battles will be at the center of attention during the primaries:
- A battle for Likud's image, pitting Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu against hardliner Moshe Feiglin.
- A battle pitting Likud's new "stars" who recently joined the party against incumbent Knesset members.
- An ethnic battle over the number of Sephardic candidates to win realistic spots on the roster.
Bibi seeks centrist roster
Netanyahu seeks to present a balanced and centrist roster in the hopes of averting attacks on the part of Labor and Kadima. The Likud leader is therefore concerned about a strong showing by Feiglin's camp, and in recent weeks initiated several moves in a bid to undermine candidates associated with his bitter rival. Among other maneuvers, Bibi threatened that candidates who form political alliances with Feiglin's camp will not be serving in a future Likud-led government.
Likud Primaries
Amnon Meranda
Likud hardliner backs several candidates, including Benny Begin, ahead of Monday's primaries
At this time it also appears that the top 20 spots on the roster will likely be won by Ashkenazi candidates, prompting Likud's "field activists" to promote more Sephardic candidates in the vote. Despite reports of "Sephardic deals" to that effect, it is unclear whether these constitute significant alliances or minor agreements.
Begin expected to win
Chairman Netanyahu is also concerned that candidates perceived as moderate, such as Dan meridor and Uzi Dayan, will not do well in the primaries. A failure by some of Likud's new additions to win realistic spots would also undermine Netanyahu's image.The shift from primary elections at the Likud Central Committee to a vote among all registered party members is also concerning some candidates. Knesset Member Moshe Kahlon, who in the previous primaries won the top spot on the party's Knesset list, realizes that this time around it will be much more difficult.
"When the primaries took place among Central Committee members, we had 3,000 voters who were deeply involved in political activity," he said. "They would monitor you and be well familiar with your work. Now, the elections are among 100,000 people, and it's impossible to reach all of them."
According to Likud polls, Benny Begin is expected to win the top spot in Monday's primaries, with Gideon Sa'ar and Silvan Shalom expected to battle for second place. Recent polls indicate that Shalom enjoys a small lead for the time being. Former IDF Chief of Staff Yaalon is also considered a favorite and is expected to secure a top spot.
Attila Somfalvi contributed to the story
