Prime Minister Ehud Olmert may be the biggest loser in the Labor party leadership primaries, which may stretch into a second round between the two leading candidates. Incumbent leader Defense Minister Amir Peretz is running a distant third in the voting and has no chance of remaining party leader.
With Peretz out of the picture, Prime Minister Olmert will be faced with either Knesset Member Ami Ayalon or former Prime Minister Ehud Barak as Labor leader. Both of them have said they will not force new elections but will demand that Kadima find a replacement for the Prime Minister.
The run-off election, if neither MK Ayalon nor Barak wins 40 per cent in Monday night's vote, will be held in two weeks.
Bar Ilan University political scientist Shmuel Sandler stated, "The worst case for Olmert is an Ayalon victory. He must ask Olmert to resign, and the Kadima party may be more interested in the survival of the party than the survival of the prime minister."
He added, "If it goes to a second round Barak is finished."
With Peretz out of the picture, Prime Minister Olmert will be faced with either Knesset Member Ami Ayalon or former Prime Minister Ehud Barak as Labor leader. Both of them have said they will not force new elections but will demand that Kadima find a replacement for the Prime Minister.
The run-off election, if neither MK Ayalon nor Barak wins 40 per cent in Monday night's vote, will be held in two weeks.
Bar Ilan University political scientist Shmuel Sandler stated, "The worst case for Olmert is an Ayalon victory. He must ask Olmert to resign, and the Kadima party may be more interested in the survival of the party than the survival of the prime minister."
He added, "If it goes to a second round Barak is finished."