2019 Likud leadership election

Last updated

2019 Likud leadership election
Likud Logo.svg
  2014 26 December 2019
Turnout49% [1]
  Benjamin Netanyahu 2019 (cropped).jpg Gideonsaar (cropped).jpg
Candidate Benjamin Netanyahu Gideon Sa'ar
Party Likud Likud
Popular vote41,79215,885
Percentage72.5%27.5%

Likud leader before election

Benjamin Netanyahu

Likud leader after election

Benjamin Netanyahu

A leadership election was held by the Likud party on 26 December 2019. Incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu defeated Gideon Sa'ar by a large majority. [2]

Contents

Background

After the April 2019 Israeli legislative election, Netanyahu was unable to form a coalition by the deadline of 29 May. Instead of letting Benny Gantz attempt to form a coalition of his own, the majority of the Knesset dissolved itself, and a snap election was held on 17 September 2019.

The second election was inconclusive, prompting warnings of a third election. [3] The threat was deemed unacceptable by the opposition and the general public, and Netanyahu called on Gantz to form a national unity government, even offering to cede the position of Prime Minister some time in the future. [4] Gantz rejected this offer, noting that Netanyahu's proposed unity government would include all of Netanyahu's right-wing allies, but none of Gantz's centre-left allies. Yair Lapid, then a member of Gantz's Blue and White alliance, also refused to sit with Likud as long as Netanyahu was its leader, due to the criminal cases against Netanyahu. [5]

In October 2019, amid coalition talks, Netanyahu indicated that he was considering holding snap primaries for party leadership. Gideon Sa'ar said in a tweet, "I'm ready." [6] After Netanyahu decided against holding a leadership election, Sa'ar said that he would run in the next election and would support Netanyahu until then. [7]

On 21 November 2019, Netanyahu was officially indicted for breach of trust, accepting bribes, and fraud. As a result of the indictment, some in Likud began to support Sa'ar in his bid for the chairmanship of the party. [8] On 24 November 2019, Sa'ar asked the Likud Central Committee to schedule a party leadership race within two weeks. [9]

Polling

PollDateNetanyahuSa'arOther / Don't Know
bnews (strawpoll) [10] 24 November 201981%10%9%
Channel 13 [11] 25 November 201953%40%7%
Walla! [12] 26 November 201982%12%6%
Channel 12 [13] 26 November 201989%4%7%

Results

2019 Likud leadership election [14] [15]
CandidateVotesPercentage
Benjamin Netanyahu 41,792
72.5%
Gideon Sa'ar 15,885
27.5%

Sa’ar won 7 of the 116 polling places, with Netanyahu winning the rest. Nearly all of Sa’ar’s victories were in majority Druze towns and cities, indicating that Druze voters were still upset over Netanyahu’s support of the 2018 Nation State Bill. [16]

Aftermath

The 2020 election was initially a stalemate, which was resolved when Likud reached a coalition agreement with Blue and White. Under the terms of the agreement, the premiership would rotate between Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz, with Gantz given the new position of Alternate Prime Minister until November 2021. [17] The new cabinet did not include Gideon Sa'ar. [18]

Following the new cabinet's collapse over budgetary issues in December 2020, [19] Sa'ar announced that he would leave Likud and will form his own party, called New Hope. [20] The party contested the 2021 Israeli legislative election, with the intent of forming a governing coalition, and removing Netanyahu from office, [21] and won six seats. [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gideon Sa'ar</span> Israeli politician

Gideon Moshe Sa'ar is an Israeli politician who served as Minister of Justice between 2021 and 2022. Sa'ar was previously a member of the Knesset for the Likud between 2003 and 2014, Deputy Prime Minister for a brief spell in 2021, as well as holding the posts of Education Minister (2009–2013) and Minister of the Interior (2013–2014). In 2019 Sa'ar returned to the Knesset and unsuccessfully ran against longtime leader Benjamin Netanyahu for the leadership of the Likud; he left the Knesset the following year after establishing a new party called New Hope.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benny Gantz</span> Israeli general and politician

Benjamin Gantz is an Israeli politician and retired army general who served as the minister of Defense between 2020 and 2022 and as deputy prime minister of Israel between 2021 and 2022. He previously served as the alternate prime minister of Israel from 2020 to 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yuli Edelstein</span> Israeli politician and former Speaker of the Knesset

Yuli-Yoel Edelstein is an Israeli politician who served as Minister of Health from 2020 to 2021. One of the most prominent refuseniks in the Soviet Union, he was the 16th Speaker of the Knesset from 2013 until his resignation on 25 March 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Israeli legislative election</span> Elections for the 18th Knesset

Elections for the 18th Knesset were held in Israel on 10 February 2009. These elections became necessary due to the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as leader of the Kadima party, and the failure of his successor, Tzipi Livni, to form a coalition government. Had Olmert remained in office or had Livni formed a coalition government, the elections would have been scheduled for 2010 instead.

This article provides a collection of opinion polls that were conducted relating to the 2009 Israeli legislative election.

Early elections for the nineteenth Knesset were held in Israel on 22 January 2013. Public debate over the Tal Law had nearly led to early elections in 2012, but they were aborted at the last moment after Kadima briefly joined the government. The elections were later called in early October 2012 after failure to agree on the budget for the 2013 fiscal year.

Polls may not add up to 120 seats due to rounding or omitted parties that dropped out or did not poll consistently.

In the run-up to the April 2019 Israeli legislative election, which was held on 9 April, various organisations carried out opinion polling to gauge voting intentions in Israel. Results of such polls are displayed in this article, ranging from the previous legislative election, held on 17 March 2015, to the 2019 election.

Snap legislative elections were held in Israel on 17 September 2019 to elect the 120 members of the 22nd Knesset. Following the previous elections in April, incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a governing coalition for a second consecutive time. On 30 May, the Knesset voted to dissolve itself and trigger new elections, in order to prevent Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz from being appointed Prime Minister-designate. This election marked the first time the Knesset voted to dissolve itself before a government had been formed.

Polling for the 17 September 2019 Israeli legislative election began on 26 May 2019.

Blue and White is a centrist and liberal political alliance in Israel. It was established by the Israel Resilience Party, Yesh Atid and Telem to run in the April 2019 Knesset election, in hopes of defeating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Blue and White defines itself as a pluralistic alliance representing all citizens on the political and religious spectrums. The phrase "blue and white" refers to the colors of the Israeli flag, and is colloquially used to describe something as being typically Israeli.

In the run up to the 2020 Israeli legislative election, various organisations carry out opinion polling to gauge voting intention in Israel during the term of the 22nd Knesset. This article lists the results of such polls.

In the run up to the 2021 Israeli legislative election, various organisations carry out opinion polling to gauge voting intention in Israel during the term of the 23rd Knesset. This article lists the results of such polls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Hope (Israel)</span> Israeli political party

New Hope, officially known as New Hope — Unity for Israel, is a centre-right to right-wing conservative and national-liberal political party in Israel.

Legislative elections were held in Israel on 1 November 2022 to elect the 120 members of the 25th Knesset. The results saw the right-wing national camp of former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu win a parliamentary majority, amid losses for left-wing and Arab parties, as well as gains by the far right.

In the run up to the 2022 Israeli legislative election, various organisations carried out opinion polling to gauge voting intention in Israel during the term of the 24th Knesset. This article lists the results of such polls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Likud leadership election</span>

A leadership election was held by the Likud party on 15 August 2007. Incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu defeated challengers Moshe Feiglin and Danny Danon by a large majority.

A leadership election was held by the Likud party on 19 December 2005. former Prime Minister and Party Leader Benjamin Netanyahu defeated Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Silvan Shalom, as well as candidates Moshe Feiglin and Israel Katz.

In the run up to the next Israeli legislative election, various organisations carried out opinion polling to gauge voting intention in Israel during the term of the twenty-fifth Knesset. This article lists the results of such polls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michel Buskila</span> Israeli politician

Michel Buskila is an Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for the New Hope party. He previously served as a deputy mayor of Ashkelon.

References

  1. Dror Halavy (27 December 2019). "Netanyahu Wins by a Landslide in South; Likud MKs Call For Unity". Hamodia . Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  2. David Horovitz (27 December 2019). "Result was never in doubt, but Netanyahu gets huge boost from crushing Likud win". The Times of Israel . Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  3. Holmes, Oliver (29 May 2019). "Israel to hold new elections after Netanyahu coalition talks fail". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  4. "Israel Election Results: Netanyahu Says No Choice but to Form Broad Unity Government". Haaretz. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  5. "Gantz says he should lead unity government, rejects coalition led by right". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  6. Azulai, Moran (3 October 2019). "פריימריז בליכוד? גדעון סער: "אני מוכן"". www.calcalist.co.il. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  7. Azulai, Moran (5 October 2019). "סער על יוזמת נתניהו: כינוס המרכז לא נחוץ; אתמודד בפריימריז כשיהיו". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  8. Holmes, Oliver (21 November 2019). "Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu indicted for bribery and fraud". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  9. "נתניהו יתנגד לפריימריז; יועמ"ש הליכוד: אין חובה לקיימם". N12. 24 November 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  10. ניוז, B.- (24 November 2019). "סקר פריימריז בליכוד אילו הבחירות היום ואלו המתמודדים, למי תצביעו?". בִּי נְיוּז (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 28 May 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  11. "סקר: 40 אחוז תמיכה לגדעון סער בליכוד". Kipa (in Hebrew). 26 November 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  12. "סקר וואלה! NEWS: נתניהו מביס את סער בקרב מצביעי הליכוד". Walla! (in Hebrew). 26 November 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  13. "סקר: כחול לבן מובילה על הליכוד ב-7 מנדטים". Israel Hayom (in Hebrew). Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  14. "Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu comfortably wins party leadership challenge". BBC. 27 December 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  15. Krauss, Joseph (27 December 2019). "Israel's embattled Netanyahu wins landslide in primary". AP News. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  16. "Netanyahu Wins by a Landslide in South; Likud MKs Call For Unity". Hamodia. 27 December 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  17. Eglash, Ruth (17 May 2020). "After three elections and political deadlock, Israel finally swears in new government". Washington Post. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  18. "Thirty-Fifth Government". Knesset. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  19. Wootliff, Raoul. "Israel calls 4th election in 2 years as Netanyahu-Gantz coalition collapses". The Times of Israel . Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  20. "Gideon Sa'ar quits Likud, 'a tool for Netanyahu's interests,' to lead new party". The Times of Israel. 8 December 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  21. "N12 - סער: "נקים ועדת חקירה ממלכתית לבדיקת מחדלי הקורונה"". N12. 18 January 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  22. "תוצאות האמת של הבחירות לכנסת ה-24". votes24.bechirot.gov.il (in Hebrew). Central Elections Committee . Retrieved 5 April 2021.