Netanyahu secures Likud party's leadership after winning over 72% vote

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday secured the leadership of the Likud party after winning 72.5% of the party vote in a chairmanship primary election held on Thursday, The Times of Israel reported.

The election, where he ran against Likud lawmaker and former Education Minister Gideon Saar, was one of the most significant challenges Netanyahu faced in his long political career.

Saar, 53, had announced earlier this month that he will run against Netanyahu, the longest-serving Prime Minister of Israel, who is now facing criminal indictments in three separate corruption scandals, in which he is charged with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. He denies any wrongdoing and says the charges are part of a "witch-hunt."

In his message to supporters on Friday, Netanyahu said he will lead Likud to a great victory in the upcoming national elections and continue to lead the State of Israel to unprecedented achievements."

Netanyahu is currently struggling for his political survival, failing to form coalition governments after the last two national elections in Israel. However, if he wins the primary leadership polls, he is likely to stay in office at least until March 2, when the next general elections will be held.

The unprecedented parliamentary polls will be the third time Israelis would cast their ballots in less than a year, amid political deadlock that has paralysed the country's political system over the past several months.