Board in Jerusalem in January 2008
Photo: Michael Thaidigsmann
Israel's foreign minister Tzipi Livni has narrowly won the primary for the leadership of her Kadima Party. Livni beat her challenger Shaul Mofaz by a margin of 431 votes, achieving 43 per cent of the total votes cast, compared to Mofaz' 42 per cent. The victory gives Livni the chance to set up Israel's next government, following prime minister Ehud Olmert, who is expected to tender his resignation as PM soon. Early exit polls by Israeli television had awarded Livni a 10 to 12 per cent lead over Mofaz, but the count of the ballots produced a much closer result than expected. The two other candidates Meir Sheetrit and Avi Dichter received less than 10 per cent of the voter. Voter turnout in the primary stood at 55 per cent.
Livni said she would approach her new post "with great reverence." She announced that coalition talks would be launched on Friday, even though Israel's president Shimon Peres cannot officially ask her to try and form a government until Olmert resigns as premier. She would then have 42 days to form a new ruling coalition, and if she succeeds, would become Israel's second female prime minister after Golda Meir. If she fails, Knesset elections would be held in early 2009.
