Likud

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Likud
Likud Logo.png
Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu
Parliamentary leader
Founded 1988
Headquarters
Political ideology Conservatism
Political position Center-right
International affiliation Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe (regional partner)
Color(s) blue
Website likud.org.il

Likud (meaning 'Union' or 'Consolidation', officially the Likud–National Liberal Movement) is an Israeli center-right wing political party. Its platform is free-market economy (though it does support strong social programs for Jews making Aliyah to Israel in order to assist in assimilation), and strong national defense.

Its current leader is Benjamin Netanyahu.

Likud was formed by the merger in 1988 of a number of parties that had previously formed an alliance in 1973:

  • Gahal - itself an alliance of:
    • Herut - Israel's main centre-right party before Likud
    • The Liberal Party
  • Free Centre
  • National List
  • Movement for Greater Israel

The party came into national prominence in 1977, led by Menachem Begin, with a stunning upset over left-wing parties that had dominated Israeli politics up to that point, it was the first time that a right-wing political party had ever been able to form the ruling coalition in the Knesset. Since then Likud has formed or been part of the ruling coalition in most of the following Knessets (nearly always with the support of the orthodox Jewish parties (Shas and the United Torah Judaism alliance), though they were forced out of power in June 2021 by a coalition of left-wing, centrist, and right-wing parties solely united to force Netanyahu out of the Prime Minister's position (notwithstanding that they hold 30 of the 120 Knesset seats, the most of any individual party).

A member of the party is often called a Likudnik. Israeli leftist and anti-Zionists often denigrate the Likud as a fascist party.

External links

  • Likud - Official Likud Site (English)