Members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party voted on Monday to choose candidates for Israel’s October 27 general election, as the right-wing party faces a tight race.

Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, is now in a weakened position. He has pursued controversial judicial reforms and, since Hamas’ October 7 attack, has pursued war across the Middle East.

Polls predict Likud’s number of parliamentary seats could fall from 32 to as low as 22.

Around 140,000 Likud members took part in Monday’s primary to choose candidates. Netanyahu has set aside around 10 spots for people of his own choosing, which local media described as an attempt to ensure he is surrounded by loyalists.

Longtime Likud member Avi, 30, condemned the move.

“That’s not democratic... They’ve destroyed Likud,” he said, adding that he had not decided who would get his vote in the general election.

Elie Cohen, a 79-year-old member of Likud’s central committee, dismissed such criticism and said he was convinced Netanyahu was “entrusted with a divine mission”.

Narkis Alfi and Brouria Ben Yehouda, two staunch Likud activists, said they supported Netanyahu’s management of the party.

“My impression is that the prime minister’s goal is to bring about real change here, to bring in new people, young people, who are very motivated,” Alfi told AFP.

Ben Yehouda described Likud as a diverse party.

“There are Mizrahi Jews, Ashkenazis, Jews, Arabs, everyone. That’s what’s good about Likud: there’s a bit of everything, from every background,” she said.

Many religious Jews, including ultra-Orthodox voters, mostly men, were also present at the primary voting. Many had joined Likud in recent years to defend their interests.

Party officials, including several ministers, campaigned alongside candidates unknown to voters, smiling, hugging and taking selfies.

Outgoing lawmaker Amit Halevy told AFP he would have preferred “fewer reserved spots” for Netanyahu to choose, but added: “In the end, the vast majority will be chosen through the primaries, and that’s what matters.”

Turnout stood at 53% at the end of voting, up 10 percentage points from the last primary in 2022, according to a party statement.

The figure is being closely watched as a measure of mobilisation ahead of the general election.