29 Facts About Likud

Likud's landslide victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had lost power.

Netanyahu's government fell apart after a vote of no confidence, which led to elections being called in 1999 and Likud losing power to the One Israel coalition led by Ehud Barak.

Likud won the most seats and votes at the 2020 and 2021 elections, but Netanyahu was removed from power in June 2021 by an unprecedented coalition led by Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett.

Likud was formed as a secular party by an alliance of several right-wing parties prior to the 1973 elections—Herut, the Liberal Party, the Free Centre, the National List, and the Movement for Greater Israel.

Herut remained the senior partner in the new grouping, which was given the name Likud, meaning "Consolidation", as it represented the consolidation of the Israeli right.

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From its establishment in 1973, Likud enjoyed great support from blue-collar Sephardim who felt discriminated against by the ruling Alignment.

Likud made a strong showing in its first elections in 1973, reducing the Alignment's lead to 12 seats.

Likud was reelected with a significantly reduced mandate in 1981.

Likud has long been a loose alliance between politicians committed to different and sometimes opposing policy preferences and ideologies.

The 1981 elections highlighted divisions that existed between the populist wing of Likud, headed by David Levy of Herut, and the Liberal wing, who represented a policy agenda of the secular bourgeoisie.

Sharon, unlike past Likud leaders, had been raised in a Labor Zionist environment and had long been seen as something of a maverick.

Likud faced several serious challenges to his authority shortly before his departure.

The Likud is led by figures who oppose further unilateral evacuations, and its standing in the polls has suffered.

Likud facilitated the formation of a joint list between the Religious Zionist Party, Otzma Yehudit and Noam by providing the Religious Zionist Party a slot on the Likud list.

Likud emphasizes national security policy based on a strong military force when threatened with continued enmity against Israel.

Likud is considered to be the leading party in the national camp in Israeli politics.

The Likud will continue to strengthen and develop these communities and will prevent their uprooting.

Likud endorsed for the first time the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, with several conditions.

Under the guidance of Finance minister and current party leader Benjamin Netanyahu, Likud pushed through legislation reducing value added tax, income and corporate taxes significantly, as well as customs duty.

Likud argued that Israel's largest labor union, the Histadrut, has so much power as to be capable of paralyzing the Israeli economy, and claimed that the main causes of unemployment are laziness and excessive benefits to the unemployed.

However, the party's economic policies vary widely among members, with some Likud MKs supporting more leftist economic positions that are more in line with popular preferences.

Likud has historically espoused opposition to Palestinian statehood and support of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

In 2002, during the Second Intifada, Israel's Likud-led government reoccupied Palestinian towns and refugee camps in the West Bank.

In 2005, Ariel Sharon defied the recent tendencies of Likud and abandoned the policy of seeking to settle in the West Bank and Gaza.

On religion and state, Likud has a moderate stance, and supports the preservation of status quo.

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Likud promotes a revival of Jewish culture, in keeping with the principles of Revisionist Zionism.

Likud emphasizes such Israeli nationalist themes as the use of the Israeli flag and the victory in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.

In July 2018, Likud lawmakers backed controversial Nation-State bill into law which declaring Israel as 'nation-state of the Jewish people'.

Likud publicly endorses press freedom and promotion of private sector media, which has grown markedly under governments Likud has led.