Knesset elects ninth president
MKs vote for Israel's next president in secret ballot Wednesday noon. Three candidates, Peres, Rivlin and Avital, are first to vote. In Kadima faction meeting earlier, Peres bids farewell to his colleagues
The Knesset has finished voting for Israel’s next president in a secret ballot Wednesday noon. Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik presented the three candidates – Shimon Peres, Reuven Rivlin and Colette Avital, and they were also the first to vote.
The presidential elections could be decided in one, two or three rounds. In order to win the first round, one of the candidates will have to secure the votes of at least 61 MKs. If none of the candidates manages to secure this number of votes, a second round will take place, again with the three candidates.
Ballot at Knesset (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
If none of them secures the 61 votes in the second round, they will go into a third round in which the two candidates who came first and second will meet for a final vote (considering this round does not end in a draw, at which case another vote will be held).
The two leading candidates are Peres and Rivlin, and both of them are confident that they will win. Avital is pleased with the boost the race has given to her political standing, following the well-orchestrated media campaign she ran.
Peres braces for victory
Earlier Wednesday, the Kadima faction convened for a very optimistic meeting before the elections begin. Peres said that, "It has been quite an experience being in Kadima," but admitted that it was still too early to celebrate the election results.
Peres thanked his faction members for their support, and personally thanked Olmert. "it has been a pleasure seeing the prime minister in action, he worked relentlessly, and whatever the results are, he had a great part in achieving them.," he said.
"The president's role is not to run the government, and I have no intention of doing so, but this is a great opportunity to serve the state," he added.
Meanwhile, Shas Chairman Eli Yishai confirmed that his party's 12 MKs would support Peres in the elections.
