Tzipi Livni has cemented her position as the favourite to succeed Ehud Olmert as Israeli prime minister, with a raft of new opinion polls showing the foreign minister pulling ahead of her main rivals.

Ms Livni will square off against Shaul Mofaz, transport minister, in an internal party primary for the leadership of the Kadima party on September 17. The winner will then replace Mr Olmert both as party chief and as prime minister, provided he or she can put together a working governing majority.