Likud members choose their Knesset candidates in hotly contested primary race

Polling stations opened across Israel on Monday morning for the Likud primary, as party members cast their ballots to determine the electoral slate for the October 27 national election. Approximately 140,000 eligible members have until 9 p.m. to vote. This year's race is notably contested due to changes pushed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which have reduced the number of open spots and granted him increased authority to appoint candidates directly. Under a recent decision by the Likud Central Committee, Netanyahu now controls nine of the top 29 slots on the list. The primary comes as public opinion polls suggest Likud's Knesset representation could drop from its current 32 seats to between 22 and 24. In a statement, Netanyahu said he would vote for a list that ensures opposition leaders do not form a government with Arab parties. Meanwhile, candidates such as Tally Gotliv and Miri Regev are campaigning for votes, while others, including former Otzma Yehudit lawmaker Almog Cohen, are competing after Netanyahu approved a shortened cooling-off period for party switching.