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Last update - 14:58 07/08/2008
Bar-On throws support behind Livni for Kadima party chair
By Haaertz Service
Tags: Roni Bar-On, Tzipi Livni 

Interior Minister Roni Bar-On on Thursday threw his support to Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in the race for Kadima leadership.

"Whoever is chosen to head Kadima must will bring the party to the next elections, and it is therefore important that the choice will assure Kadima's spot in the next ruling government," Bar-On said during a press conference.

Bar-On added that he would have chosen Olmert to lead the party again, had the prime minister decided to run.
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The two leading candidates to succeed Ehud Olmert at Kadima's helm, Livni and Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, have been focus their efforts in recent days on rallying the support of leading party members.

Thus far, almost none of these leading figures has officially come out in favor of either one. In his press conference Thursday, Bar-On called each of the four candidates an appropriate choice.

Analysts have said that the struggle between Livni and Mofaz may be decided by fewer than 1,000 votes. Therefore, the role that senior party figures could play in throwing support to one or the other might prove decisive.

The most sought-after people are those ministers and MKs who are considered close to Olmert, including Vice Premier Haim Ramon, MK Tzachi Hanegbi,and Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik.

Kadima is believed to have 70,000 members, of which some 45,000 are expected to participate in the September 17 primary.

Advocates for Livni are telling the undecided that the foreign minister is the only person who stands a chance of winning an election against opposition leader and Likud Party Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu, due to her broad popularity. They therefore argue that electing Mofaz as party leader would not serve Kadima's interests.

Mofaz, for his part, is telling Kadima supporters that they should select a candidate capable of dealing with the security issues that are so critical for Israel at this juncture. His supporters also argue that he is better positioned to create a broad coalition government and thereby avoid calling early national elections.

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