Likud to choose new party slate in January

Likud MK Danny Danon announced Sunday that the Likud primaries would take place on January 28, 2015.

The head of the Likud Central Committee had consulted with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prior to setting the date, Channel 10 reported.

Danon also said a party meeting will be held on December 24, during which electoral reform for the Likud’s candidates for the Knesset will be introduced.

In early October, Channel 2 reported Netanyahu was set to introduce a series of changes to bolster his control of the Likud party and its Knesset slate, including scheduling primaries earlier than originally planned — ahead of what sources in the party said was the growing likelihood of general elections taking place within the next year.

Netanyahu is expected to win the vote by a wide margin, the report said.

The premier will also reportedly seek to revise party policies to allow him to reserve every 10th seat for one of his own candidates, to advance regional candidates at the expense of the national list, and to move voting on regional candidates from the national caucus to the Likud Central Committee.

These maneuvers are expected to increase Netanyahu’s control over the party list, the TV report noted, adding that most of the other Knesset party leaders have already implemented similar changes within their parties.

Sources in the Likud told Channel 2 that Netanyahu was acting under the assumption that new general elections would be held within a year.

However, last Tuesday, at a small party celebrating his 65th birthday, Netanyahu reportedly said that “elections are the last thing the people of Israel need right now.”