Though elections have been predicted for months, the parties are now scrambling to prepare as the 90-day countdown is about to begin.
According to the law, now that Kadima leader Tzipi Livni has admitted failure in her attempt to form a government, President Peres must give the Knesset the option of giving one of its members the responsibility of making a similar attempt. However, it appears that the Knesset will forego this privilege, and will vote to schedule elections at the earliest possible date - 90 days from now.
The Likud, which has been favored to win almost since the last elections, is now slightly behind in the polls. Most pundits feel, however, that this is the result of the recent events in which Kadima leader Tzipi Livni appeared to be "rejecting Shas blackmail" by choosing to opt for new elections.
Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu, who has a solid hold on the party leadership, has brought in some new blood to the party - and appears to be seeking more. The two notable recent acquisitions were ex-Police Commissioner Assaf Hefetz and ex-National Security Advisor Gen. (res.) Uzi Dayan. Neither of them are particularly known for right-wing ideology, and Dayan is actually considered left-wing.
New names that Netanyahu is interested in including in the Likud are former IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Yaalon - an outspoken opponent of the Disengagement from Gush Katif and northern Shomron in 2005 - and former Finance Minister Dan Meridor, a long-time Likud MK whose views gradually became more centrist over the years.
Likud party primaries to decide the party's Knesset candidates and their placement on the party list are currently expected to take place in early December. Netanyahu is reportedly considering trying to reserve spots for his new acquisitions, but will face opposition from the incumbent MKs.
Labor is Strapped, Discordant and Unpopular
Meanwhile, in Labor, the financial situation is such that the party might not even be able to afford such primaries. In addition, party leader Ehud Barak has been facing internal criticism for having agreed to join Livni's Kadima government, and the criticism is now mounting. Adding salt to these wounds is the simple fact that Labor is not very popular, receiving less than 10% of public support in recent polls.
The Shas party has gained points among its electorate, for taking a strong stand on two points: Demanding a return to higher child allowances for medium-sized and large families, and demanding that Jerusalem remain undivided and Israeli despite negotiations with the Palestinian Authority.