Meretz elects new party leader Tuesday
Left-wing party holds internal elections to replace current chairman Yossi Beilin. Candidates Chaim Oron, Zahava Gal-On and Ran Cohen will need to secure 50% of votes to avoid second round
The Meretz Party will hold internal elections for a new party leader on Tuesday.
The three candidates vying for the position are MK Chaim Oron, who is the favorite to win; MK Zahava Gal-On; and MK Ran Cohen. The winner will need to garner 50% of the votes in order to avoid a second round of elections.
Ballots will be open between 4:30-9 pm across the country, allowing the party's 15,000 registered members to cast their vote.
The current party chairman, MK Yossi Beilin, has already announced his decision to quit the race following Oron's decision to run, and has subsequently transferred his support to Oron.
Sources in the political system now estimate that Beilin will leave the political life altogether, although he has not made his plans known at this stage.
The greatest challenge for the new elected chairman would be to try and breathe new life into the party, which has lost much of its electorate over the past few years and which is now considered by many no-longer relevant to Israeli politics.
