Kadima Faces Task of Forming Coalition (Israel Election)

[brooklynite]

JERUSALEM - After declaring victory in Israel's elections, acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's Kadima Party said Wednesday it would quickly form a broad ruling coalition that will carry out its plan to pull out of much of the West Bank and draw Israel's borders by 2010.

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Kadima won only 28 seats in the election, less than the 35 it had hoped for, but still making it the largest party in the 120-member parliament. Like every other ruling party in Israeli history, it will have to form a coalition government with other parties.

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Olmert has said he would govern only with parties that accept his program. Likely partners include Labor, which ran on a social platform advocating a higher minimum wage and guaranteed pensions for the elderly; the Pensioners' Party, which also advocates more benefits for retirees; and the dovish Meretz party.

Kadima also will likely target an ultra-Orthodox party, and receive tacit support from Arab parties that won 10 seats.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060329/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_elections_49