Netanyahu re-elected as Likud leader, set to run in Israel’s upcoming elections

JERUSALEM/ISTANBUL

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was re-elected leader of the right-wing Likud Party on Thursday, with the premier nominated as the party’s candidate in the upcoming legislative elections.

According to Israeli Channel 14, Netanyahu was re-elected unopposed during a meeting of the party’s Election and Oversight Committee in Tel Aviv.

Under the party’s bylaws, a candidate is automatically elected when only one nomination is submitted, without the need for a vote.

Israel’s upcoming elections are scheduled for Oct. 27, 2026.

Netanyahu has led multiple Israeli governments since first taking office in 1996.

Thursday’s decision signals Netanyahu’s intention to run again despite the ongoing corruption charges against him.

Israeli law does not require him to resign unless convicted by the Supreme Court.