Reports: Likud to hold leadership primaries next month; Netanyahu expected to run uncontested

By Ariela Karmel

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15 October 2025, 6:48 pm

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Ariela 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 Likud party is set to vote next week on holding leadership primaries on November 25, 2025, according to Hebrew media reports.

Members of the Likud Central Committee will meet on October 23 to approve the timetable and appoint an internal elections oversight committee.

According to the reports, Netanyahu is expected to run uncontested.

The move is intended to renew Netanyahu’s mandate as party leader, solidify his control and eliminate internal challenges before national elections, which are set to be held by October 2026.

“Once the hostages return, so will Likud’s seats,” one party insider tells Maariv outlet, adding that the move is aimed at potentially “laying the groundwork” for calling early national elections to allow the prime minister to capitalize on his recent bump in popularity following the US-brokered ceasefire deal and return of the 20 remaining Israeli hostages from Gaza.

A Maariv poll found last week that Netanyahu’s Likud would receive 27 of the Knesset’s 120 seats if elections were to be held today, up from 25 seats prior to the Gaza deal.

Nevertheless, the poll found the parties that make up Netanyahu’s coalition would collectively win 48 seats, short of the 60-seat majority needed to govern.