Menachem Begin would surely be troubled by recent developments.

The Likud movement, rooted in Begin's Herut, was founded on the idea that true democracy requires space for differing views. Begin once stated that without opposition there can be no real democracy and that human liberty itself would be at risk.

Although Begin spoke of opposition in the Knesset, the same standard holds inside political parties. Genuine democracy starts well before voting day. It requires a party to accept discussion, critique, and rival proposals without insisting on total obedience from its members.

Senior Likud MK David Bitan recently made serious claims in a KAN TV interview. He accused the Prime Minister's Office of urging ministers and MKs to produce videos backing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plans before an internal party vote.

Bitan noted that the prime minister preferred appointments over internal elections but yielded to petitions and public pressure. He stressed that Likud is a democratic party and that the pressure to create supportive videos creates fear among members who depend on the leader for positions and influence in primaries.

Likud appears to have drifted from its tradition of vigorous internal discussion

When elected officials feel compelled to show loyalty to the leader ahead of a democratic internal vote, the party's culture has clearly shifted from its earlier emphasis on open debate.

Likud MK Dan Illouz recently cautioned against efforts to dilute the primary system. He highlighted the party's pride in being the sole democratic party in the Knesset and warned that abandoning primaries would harm Likud.

Those remarks now seem at odds with current events.

Likud's internal tribunal ultimately required that primaries follow the party's established democratic rules after attempts to change the process. The defense of internal democracy came from within Likud itself rather than from external bodies.

Bitan's statements echo earlier claims by MK Sharren Haskel in a sworn affidavit tied to a state comptroller vote. Haskel described instructions for faction members to film their votes and submit the recordings as proof of compliance. Such episodes point to a growing expectation that loyalty must be visibly demonstrated.

Netanyahu continues as Likud's leading political force

These issues do not diminish Netanyahu's strong position inside Likud. He remains the party's most prominent figure. A leader may certainly advocate for preferred outcomes. The problem emerges when dissent meets pressure instead of discussion and when loyalty is gauged by displays of obedience rather than the quality of arguments.

Begin called his movement Herut, meaning freedom. That included the freedom to speak, to differ, and to question authority without being labeled disloyal. It is striking that decades after Begin reached the Prime Minister's Office, some in the movement he created seem to enjoy limited room to disagree with its current leader.

Should Likud continue to equate conformity with unity, voters may teach the lesson Begin always understood. By October the party descended from the freedom movement could face reduced representation and find itself in the opposition Begin viewed as essential to democracy.