Olmert confirms resignation as Israel prime minister

[Scurrilous]

Tzipi Livni, ruling Kadima party's new leader, now has difficult task of forming coalition government

<snip>

"Israel's embattled prime minister, Ehud Olmert, today confirmed his resignation but will remain in power until a new government is formed.

At the opening of his weekly cabinet meeting Olmert addressed the country live on television, saying it was his "intention to resign the office of prime minister of the state of Israel".

Olmert – who announced in July that he would step down because of pressure over allegations of corruption – said he would "stand by" the foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, who was elected this week to replace him as chairman of the governing Kadima party.

It was still unclear, however, when Olmert would formally submit his resignation to the president, Shimon Peres, and there is speculation that he may remain in power for a number of months.

After the Israeli PM has formally notified the president, Peres can ask Livni to put together a new coalition government, a difficult task because Kadima does not have a parliamentary majority.

Livni, 50, a lawyer and former agent in the Mossad secret service, has six weeks to form a government around her party. If she succeeds, she will be prime minister - the first woman in the job since 1974. If she fails, general elections will be held by early next year."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/21/israelandthepalestinians

[Demeter]

1. Good Riddance, Olmert

Not that Israel has been blessed with good leadership lately, but here's hoping...

[LeftishBrit]

2. Here's hoping indeed

Livni looks like the best of the current possibilities.

[oberliner]

4. Predictions?

Will there be an election soon and can Kadima hang on or will it be Likud?

[LeftishBrit]

5. There need to be elections by 2010..

Whether there is one soon will probably depend on whether Livni can form a workable coalition. Probably she'd rather not have one immediately, given Olmert's unpopularity and scandal and the way this may affect the results; but Shas or others may force the issue.

The Israelis on the board will know much more than me about who is likely to win such an election; but from reports and polls I've seen, I get the impression it would be close, and that Livni has more chance than Olmert would have had of beating Netanyahu.

I hope Likud don't get in, but who knows.

[IndianaGreen]

3. Don't let the door hit you in the ass!

What a disappointement Olmert has turned out to be, right in the same category of corruption as Omri Sharon.

Our best hope lies in Livni being able to form a government without having to give up too much to the ultra-Orthodox.

[sabbat hunter]

6. The three major parties

in israel, Kadima, Labor and Likud need to get together and change the election laws so that you need a greater percentage of the vote to get seats in the Knesset. Hopefully something like this will break the back of the small parties that seem to control the balance of power all the time.