MIDDLE EAST The political battle to succeed Ehud Olmert as prime minister of Israel started in earnest on Thursday, amid a sharpening debate over whether the country’s next leader should be chosen by an internal party ballot or an early general election.
Mr Olmert announced on Wednesday night that he would step down in September, almost two years before the end of his tenure. His position became untenable when he became the target of an escalating corruption inquiry by Israeli police. Mr Olmert’s Kadima party is now preparing a primary to elect a new leader to take over from him as party chief and prime minister. Tzipi Livni, foreign minister, and Shaul Mofaz, transport minister, are widely seen as the leading contenders.
