Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni was recently elected the new leader of the Kadima party, replacing Ehud Olmert(September 17). As he is in the process of resigning as Prime Minister, she has 42 days to form a coalition within the Knesset. The Kadima party currenntly holds 29 seats and must form a coalition of 61 seats, out of the 120 in the Israeli parliament. If she is to succeed in building an administration, Livni will become Prime Minister and most likely govern until 2010. If she fails, the president will give another member of the Knesset up to 42 days to form a government coalition. If no such coalition is formed, the president will call for early elections. During the general elections and up until a new prime minister is chosen, Olmert is likely to remain Israel’s leader even after he formally resigns.
Q & A about Israeli leadership change
There is no certainty that Livni will be able to put together this coalition within the given time. Under such a fragile coalition it seems unlikely that she will be able to assure the required number of seats and hold together the administration.
This instability within the administration will create problems for the peace process with the Palestinians. With one Prime Minister on his way out, and another on her way in, it seems that it will be difficult for them to continue peace talks. The negotiations have been going on for years, and seeing how both governments lack stability, it seems almost impossible for any progress to come in the near future.
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Lots of good information here, Leah! Thanks!
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