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Ehud Barak: the margin was not big enough for an outright win (file photo)
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| By israelinsider staff May 29, 2007 |
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Former PM Ehud Barak may have won the battle for the Labor party chairmanship on the strength of non-Jewish voters, beating Ami Ayalon 35.6% to 30.6 percent. But he still must fight the war in two weeks.
Since neither candidate 40 percent minimum necessary to win outright, a run-off will be held on June 12.
Amir Peretz, current chairman and defense minister, garnered only 22.4% of the votes, but may be in a position to make a deal to deliver his support to one of the other frontrunners. "My camp is an obedient one that will go in the direction I will choose," he said in a closed meeting, after election results came out, YnetNews reported.
Barak apparently agrees. His senior aides are reportedly making moves towards unifying with the Peretz camp, and is scheduled to meet with the third-place finisher this morning.
Knesset Member Yoram Marciano, the head of Peretz's campaign headquarters, said, "the Peretz camp will remain a significant force in Labor?s social agenda," he said. But on the morning after, it seems that the Labor rank-and-file had abandoned that agenda for two men with military backgrounds: Barak as former Chief of Staff and Ayalon as head of the Navy and later Shin Bet chief.
The results of the Labor primaries may affect Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's coalition, since both frontrunners have said they would withdraw the party, leaving Olmert with only 59 MK's -- less than half of the Knesset. While technically it is possible to run a "minority government", such a coalition is inherently unstable. Olmert would seek support from right wing and religious parties to shore up support.
But Barak, at least, appears ready to make the compromises required to get a seat at the table, first with the failed Defense Minister Peretz and then as replacement Defense Minister for Olmert, currently limping along with low single-digital support of the public. |
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