In November 2008, Regev joined the
Likud party, saying that she had been a supporter of the party's platform for many years. She won twenty-seventh place on the party's list for the
2009 elections, just high enough to enter the
Knesset as Likud won 27 seats. At the
2015 elections Regev was re-elected, after being placed fifth on Likud's national list. She was subsequently appointed by Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu as Minister of Culture and Sport in the
new government. Revital Madar, a Tunisian-Israeli writer for
Haaretz, stated that Regev had faced discrimination due to her Moroccan origins, and her forthright behaviour is perceived as being stereotypically
Mizrahi.
Minister of Culture ,
Ayelet Shaked (center) and
Naftali Bennett (right) In September 2015, four months in office, Regev announced a list of criteria that will cause the withdrawal of state funding the following year. The list included the deformation of state symbols and a call for
boycotting Israel. In July 2016, Regev announced that she would not participate in the
2016 Summer Olympics opening ceremonies, because they take place on
Shabbat. In her position as Minister of Culture, Regev frequently equates artistic
Freedom of Expression with the power of the government to withdraw its funding, using the term "Freedom of Funding". Regev also argued that state-funded artists or organisations must show "loyalty" to the Israeli state. She has called this a "Loyalty in Culture" initiative, and has proposed legislation making "support for a cultural institution dependent on its loyalty to the state of Israel". She has said the group
Breaking the Silence "hurts Israel's image" and accused a gallery that had hosted a talk by the group of "holding political activities". Regev said in 2016 that she made an agreement with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to create a new, “nostalgic” radio station for veteran artists deserving recognition. This statement was made a day after the death of Israeli veteran singer Gabi Shoshan. At the closing ceremony of the
2017 Maccabiah Games on 18 July 2017, Regev passed the Maccabiah torch to a number of Maccabiah athletes. In October 2018, she attended the Grand Slam Judo tournament in
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. During that tournament, Regev was overwhelmed as the
Hatikva was played in a Muslim Arab capital.
Ministry of Transport, National Infrastructure and Road Safety In May 2020, Regev was offered the portfolio of
Ministry of Transport, National Infrastructure and Road Safety for the first half of the 35th government of Israel and the portfolio of
foreign minister during the second half of the incoming government's term. She was sworn in to this position on 17 May 2020. She was replaced by
Merav Michaeli following the formation of the 36th government on 14 June 2021. On 29 December 2022, Regev was appointed the position for a second time by Benjamin Netanyahu during the formation of the
thirty-seventh government of Israel. In May 2024,
Channel 13 aired a report where the former Ministry of Transport chief of professional staff accused Regev of politicising the Ministry, giving preferential treatment to localities with higher levels of Likud support and to Likud activists. In early June 2024, the
Lahav 433 unit of the Israel Police raided the Ministry's offices as part of an investigation into corruption following the Channel 13 report.
Likud leadership bid On 14 August 2021, Regev announced that she would run against Netanyahu as leader of Likud. Stressing her Sephardi background, she stated "The time has come to have a Sephardi prime minister, I think the Likud rank and file must vote this time for someone who represents their class, their ethnicity and their agenda." She also stated that she would not run against Netanyahu. She also made it clear that if she does not become leader of Likud, she may form a new party. ==Political views and positions==