Kadima wins Israeli elections

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Source: CCTV.com | 02-13-2009 16:35

The final results of Israel's parliamentary election on Thursday delivered a slim majority to the centrist party Kadima.

The party, led by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, won just one set more than its main rival, the center-right Likud Party.

Israeli Foreign Minister and leader of the Kadima party,  Tzipi Livni (C), speaks to supporters during an elections campaign rally.(AFP/Gali Tibbon)

Tamar Edri, dierector, Israel election committee, said, "For Kadima 28 Parliament seats, for Yisrael Beitenu, headed by Avigdor Lieberman 15 seats, Likud has 27 seats."

The final tally confirmed the Kadima Party of Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni kept its slight lead over Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud. But the right-wing bloc controls 65 seats, giving Netanyahu the edge in coalition building.

The final result was announced hours after counting over 100-thousand votes by soldiers, sailors, embassy and hospital employees, the handicapped, and prisoners, out of a total of 3.3 million cast. In the final tally, Likud was only 20,000 votes behind Kadima.

Both Livni and Netanyahu are promoting the idea of a joint national unity government. They are already working to line up potential partners for a governing coalition.

Some analysts say both Livni and Netanyahu would be talking to the leaders of the other parties in an attempt to gain support to form a government.

The official election results will be published in the official government journal next Wednesday, and then the clock starts ticking towards a deadline for a new Israeli government to be formed.

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Editor:Zhang Yun