With over half the votes counted in the Likud primaries, the ruling Israeli political party's top ten candidates for the April 9 elections is becoming apparent. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose place is assured at the head of the list, looks set to be followed by Yuri Edelstein, Yisrael Katz and Gideon Sa'ar - all politicians who have been in various conflicts with Netanyahu in recent years.
They are followed by Gilad Erdan, Miri Regev and Yariv Levin and two newcomers in the party who have performed very well in the primaries - Yoav Gallant (who moved from Kulanu) and former Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat. The top ten is rounded off by Avi Dichter - who in the 2015 primaries was placed deep in the 20s.
Among the failures are MKs Oren Hazan and Yehuda Glick who will finish below 30th place and may not sit in the next Knesset with the Likud expected to win no more than 34 mandates.
In the Likud primaries yesterday, an estimated 69,719 party members voted - 58% of those eligible, compared with a 55% turnout before the 2015 elections.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on February 6, 2019
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