Kadima leadership election, 2008

An election for the leadership of Kadima was held on 17 September 2008 as a concession to Kadima's coalition partner, Labour, which had threatened to bring down the government if Prime Minister Ehud Olmert didn't stand aside following police investigations into alleged corruption during his terms as minister and as mayor of Jerusalem.

As Kadima remains the largest party in the Knesset and the coalition, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, the designated new leader after balloting, will have the chance to form a government without a need for elections. If successful, she will become the next Prime Minister, and the first woman to hold that position since Golda Meir in 1974. [ [http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-kadima18-2008sep18,0,1797189.story?track=rss Tzipi Livni wins Israel's Kadima race] Los Angeles Times, September 2008]

Candidates

Announced candidates were Livni, Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter, Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz and Minister of the Interior Meir Sheetrit. [ [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/986907.html In the battle for Kadima, Mofaz to target Livni] Haaretz, 26 May 2008] [ [http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90854/6480876.html Israeli Interior Minister announces candidacy for Kadima leadership] Xinhua, 20 August 2008] Current leader and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was considered unlikely to run due to public pressure under many ongoing corruption investigations, and stated in an announcement on 30 July 2008 that he would indeed resign once his party had chosen his successor as party leader. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7533855.stm Israeli PM to quit within months] BBC News, 30 July 2008] Nominations closed on 24 August 2008. [ [http://derstandard.at/?url=/?id=1216918096399 Kadima-Partei wählt am 17. September neuen Vorsitzenden] Der Standard de icon] Livni was widely considered to be the frontrunner, and she would likely improve Kadima's prospects in the next elections. [ [http://www.b92.net/eng/news/world-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=08&dd=01&nav_id=52374 Israel's foreign minister has edge in party race] B92, 1 August 2008] .

Results

Exit polls released after the poll indicated a double-digit victory for Livni.Cite web |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/2978557/Israel-Tzipi-Livni-wins-Kadima-vote-to-become-new-PM.html |title=Israel: Tzipi Livni wins Kadima vote to become new PM |author=Tim Butcher |publisher="The Daily Telegraph" |date=2008-09-17 |accessdate=2008-09-17] The actual vote count turned out much closer, amid very low turnout, with Shaul Mofaz coming within a few hundred votes of winning an unexpected victory over Livni. [cite news |title=Livni to lead Israel ruling party |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7620215.stm |work=BBC News |date=2008-09-18 |accessdate=2008-09-18 ] Supporters of Mofaz called for a recount but Mofaz rejected any legal challenge of the declared result and called Livni to congratulate her on her victory, as did Sheetrit and Dichter. [cite news |author=Staff writer |title=Mofaz activists: We'll demand a recount |url=http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1221489065540&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull |work=Jerusalem Post |date=2008-09-18 |accessdate=2008-09-18 ]

Aftermath

After Mofaz's loss, he announced that he would be taking a break from politics and leaving the government and Knesset. However, he would remain a member of Kadima.Cite news|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3598934,00.html|title=Mofaz Says will Take Break from Politics|publisher=Ynetnews|author=Meranda, Amnon|date=2008-09-18|accessdate=2008-09-18] Soon after however, he said that he would return after the Jewish New Year.fact|date=September 2008

References

External links

* [http://imeu.net/news/article0014162.shtml Kadima Leadership Elections: background, results, and the prospects for peace] Institute for Middle East Understanding