MK Amir Peretz (Labor) announced on Sunday evening that he intends to run for the post of chairman of the Labor party.
Peretz will run for the chairmanship whether primaries or elections using another method are held.
Earlier on Sunday, Labor chairman MK Avi Gabbay announced that the party is preparing for the 22nd Knesset elections.
"Ahead of the elections in September, I intend to bring to the party's leadership this Tuesday a proposal to hold elections for the party's leadership at the earliest possible date and without additional elections to the Knesset list," Gabbay said.
On Friday, the Labor chairman hinted that in the upcoming elections the Labor party could merge with either Meretz or Blue and White.
"In the coming elections, the center-left camp should run with three parties instead of five. There should be mergers here. The Joint List should work together. Labor will merge with Meretz or with Blue and White," Gabbay said at a conference in Tel Aviv.
"The decision must be made based on the question 'what will increase the power of the entire camp and lead to the victory of the camp in the elections?' and not based on what is good for each individual party," he added.
Gabbay has come under fire by Labor members following the party’s poor showing in the last elections, when it won just 6 Knesset seats - an all-time low.
Former Labor MK Eitan Cabel has been particularly critical of Gabbay and has repeatedly called on him to step down.