Likud members
Likud membersFlash 90

Likud's Legal Advisor, Attorney Avi Halevy responded Monday night to the Likud Court's ruling not to hold primaries for the Chairman of Likud and the Likud party list on the same day, despite a vote by the Likud Central Committee to do so. 

After reviewing a petition submitted by MK Moshe Feiglin, the Likud Court ordered that elections for the party list must take place on a different day than elections for Chairman. Additionally, the Likud Chairman will no longer be guaranteed the 11th and 24th spots on the party list. 

Halevy called the decision unreasonable. He suggested there is a great chance for the dates and details of Likud primaries to be changed further upon a hearing to be held Tuesday, which will be overseen by a panel of five judges. 

"The decision violates the voting right of tens of thousands of Likud members," Halevy announced. "If elections will be held separately, even within a few days of each other, it is likely that the percentage of voters will be reduced." 

In addition, Halevy noted, "Internal Likud elections on one day will cost about NIS 5 million ($1.25 million). Separating the primaries to different dates will cost us the unnecessary expense of NIS 5 million more." 

Halevy added that Likud elections for various positions had been held on the same day in the past. "For example, the Chairman of the Central Committee, the Chairman of the Secretariat, judges of the Court, and other officials were all elected on the same day." 

"Likud Chairman is the first on the Likud party list and it is unreasonable under the circumstances (where Knesset elections are being held early) to choose the remainder of the list several days later," Halevy stressed. 

As for the court's decision to cancel the Chairman's privilege to reserve candidates for seats 11 and 24, Halevy emphasized that the decision had been made by a majority of almost two thirds of the Central Committee, who supported the right of the Likud chairman.

"As opposed to other parties, where the Chairman singlehandedly chooses all the candidates on his/her party's list, the decision of the Likud Central Committee to grant the Chairman the right to designate two candidates of his own choosing is both proportionate and acceptable," Halevy concluded.