Tzipi Livni said she would strive to assume Israel’s prime ministership quickly.
Livni, the Israeli foreign minister, narrowly defeated Shaul Mofaz, the transportation minister, in primary elections for the ruling Kadima Party this week. Ehud Olmert, who said he’d step down after the primary, said after the vote that he would submit his formal resignation Sunday.
“As of now, there is a country to run and we must act quickly,” Livni told Kadima Party activists in a meeting on Friday, according to Israel’s daily Ha’aretz. “We don’t have time to fuss around with politics.”
Livni’s narrow win could make it harder for her to forge the same governing coalition that Olmert had led. Labor and Shas, which both have been in the coalition, have yet to pledge their loyalty to Livni. If she fails to form a government within six weeks, Israel would go to new general elections.
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