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Monday, November 24, 2025
Likud to host first national conference in 13 years to elect Central Committee, Secretariat
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleAriela Karmel is a political correspondent at The Times of Israel. She previously reported for Calcalist and Haaretz. She holds an MA in Middle Eastern and African History from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling Likud party will host its first national conference in 13 years tomorrow to elect the party’s powerful Central Committee and Secretariat. Elections have not been held since the last conference.
The Central Committee, which has approximately 4,500 members, is led by Tourism Minister Haim Katz. It serves as the party’s main representative body, responsible for approving major policy decisions and internal rules.
It, in turn, elects the 50-member Secretariat, led by Defense Minister Israel Katz, which acts as the party’s executive body responsible for party operations, including staff, budget, regional offices, and campaigns.
The party’s highly centralized structure meant that neither the leadership nor those holding key positions were required to renew their mandates, reducing any incentive to convene a conference. However, mounting internal pressure and growing demands from within the party have now compelled its leadership to finally call one.
Other Likud ministers are now challenging the two longtime officials for the powerful posts. Energy Minister Eli Cohen and Culture Minister Miki Zohar are running against Israel Katz, according to Hebrew media reports, while Regional Cooperation Minister David Amsalem is challenging Haim Katz.
The two bodies shape the party’s leadership and strategic direction, making their elections highly consequential for Likud’s internal balance of power, and their chairs rank among the party’s most powerful figures.
The Times of Israel Community.