Likud, officially known as Likud – National Liberal Movement, is a major right-wing, or center-right, political party in Israel, founded in 1973. It advocates for Zionist principles, strong national security, free-market policies, and is renowned for its nationalist policies, emphasis on security, settlement expansion in the occupied territories, and strong alignment with religious and nationalist ideologies. The party was formed as an alliance of several right-wing factions, including the Herut party rooted in Revisionist Zionism, the Liberal Party, the Free Center, the National List (or State List), and the Labor Movement for Greater Israel, spearheaded by leaders such as Menachem Begin and Ariel Sharon. Its formation just before the 1973 elections to the Eighth Knesset united these groups to challenge the long-dominant left-wing Labor Party, marking a significant consolidation of conservative and liberal-nationalist forces in Israeli politics.

Likud achieved a historic landslide victory in the 1977 elections, ending nearly three decades of Labor's rule and representing the first time a right-wing party secured the most votes in Israel. This triumph ushered in an era of alternating power between Likud and Labor from the late 1970s onward. Under Begin's leadership, Likud governed through much of the 1980s, implementing key policies like the 1979 peace treaty with Egypt. The party faced setbacks, losing the 1992 Knesset election, but rebounded with Benjamin Netanyahu's election as prime minister in 1996 following Yitzhak Rabin's assassination. Netanyahu's first government collapsed amid a no-confidence vote, leading to Likud's defeat in 1999 to Ehud Barak's One Israel coalition.

Throughout its history, Likud has been characterized by its pro-settler stance, skepticism toward territorial concessions in peace processes, and influence on Israel's rightward shift. Under Netanyahu's long-term leadership since the early 2000s, the party has dominated Israeli politics, forming multiple governments and remaining a pivotal force in shaping Israel's approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, economic liberalization, and international relations.