Netanyahu took 72.5% of the votes cast by Likud party members while the challenger Gideon Sa'ar received 27.5%.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has easily won the Likud leadership contest. Netanyahu took 72.5% of the votes cast by Likud party members while the challenger Gideon Sa'ar received 27.5%. The official Likud results saw 41,792 party members voting for Netanyahu and 15,885 voting for Sa'ar. There was a 49.7% turnout of the 116,000 eligible Likud members registered to vote.
Counting the ballots began immediately after the polls closed at 11pm and just after midnight Netanyahu tweeted, "A huge victory. Thank you members of the Likud for the trust, support and love. God willing and with your help I will lead the Likud to a great victory in the next elections and we will continue to lead the State of Israel to unprecedented achievements."
An hour later Sa'ar phoned Netanyahu to congratulate him on his victory. Sa'ar later said, "I congratulate the prime minister on his victory in the primaries. I told Netanyahu in the clearest possible way - my friends and I stand behind you for the success of the Likud in the elections in March."
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on December 27, 2019
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2019
Netanyahus vote in Likud primaries