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Comments:  26
ANALYSIS / Without Lieberman, Livni has no government
By Yossi Verter, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Lieberman, Israel Elections 

Click here for exclusive Haaretz coverage of the elections in Israel

Tens of thousands of left-wing voters who recently decided to vote for Kadima instead of Labor or Meretz will wake up this morning to hear that Tzipi Livni is vigorously courting far-right leader Avigdor Lieberman.

Without Lieberman, Livni has no government. Even with the Yisrael Beiteinu chairman, Livni's ability to form a government is in great doubt.
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Livni won a major victory yesterday. She beat Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud, which had been leading in the polls until the last minute. The election had boiled down to Tzipi vs. Bibi, and the public decided in favor of Livni. Even if Netanyahu does end up forming the government, he sustained a stinging blow yesterday.


The young woman Netanyahu appointed some 13 years ago as head of the Israel Government Companies Authority has now surpassed him, according to all the exit polls. Livni's victory was achieved by stomping the left-wing camp, including Labor and Meretz. But even the right-wing bloc, which exit polls put at 67 Knesset seats, has shriveled.

A word of warning: Last night we only had the exit polls, but experience shows that by morning the picture will change by a seat or two - and in this case every seat could play a critical role. What political, electoral and coalition complications were created yesterday. Only Israel's version of democracy could come up with the largest political bloc being comprised of Likud and right-wing and ultra-Orthodox parties at the same time that the largest party is the one leading the center-left camp.

Livni will argue that she should be assigned the task of forming a government because her party is the leading party, while Netanyahu will argue that he is leading the "national" camp that won the majority of votes (on the assumption that Yisrael Beiteinu is indeed part of this bloc).


Related articles:
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  • ANALYSIS / Success of rightist bloc may propel Netanyahu into PM's chair
  • OPINION / For the sake of peace, Labor and Kadima must merge
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      1.   no stining defeat for Bibi 08:12  |  Yoni 11/02/09
      2.   The problem with Lieberman is not political 08:52  |  UlfT 11/02/09
      3.   The guy with the mad eyes holds the key 09:08  |  Clickfool 11/02/09
      4.   Without majoritanian elections 09:31  |  Yonatan 11/02/09
      5.   Tosh 09:43  |  sh 11/02/09
      6.   maybe it is now time for a Bicameral system 09:54  |  David G 11/02/09
      7.   MAKE MY DAY, LIBY 10:32  |  indrajaya 11/02/09
      8.   A confirmed racist extremist decides Israels future 10:41  |  Natallie Durson 11/02/09
      9.   Natalie is being a little hypocritical isn`t she 11:22  |  dovvod 11/02/09
      10.   dowod and hypocricy 11:34  |  Truth 11/02/09
      11.   yossi, do not despair 11:47  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 11/02/09
      12.   It`s all about good will vs. lust for power 11:53  |  Maurice 11/02/09
      13.   #9, dowood 12:00  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 11/02/09
      14.   re "Truth" 12:05  |  Stop Spinning! 11/02/09
      15.   # 9 dovvod 12:15  |  Natallie Durson 11/02/09
      16.   . . .and the band played on . . . 14:17  |  Wendy 11/02/09
      17.   If Lieberman was as bad as Hamas 14:25  |  Ilan 11/02/09
      18.   to dovvod re Natallie 14:39  |  Walter 11/02/09
      19.   Bibi still won Livni with the left wing barely will get a tie 14:40  |  David 11/02/09
      20.   Haaretz is popular and Far Leftist because 15:52  |  Avi 11/02/09
      21.   Election 18:50  |  Ahmad Omar 11/02/09
      22.   Minority government 21:07  |  pro-Israel 11/02/09
      23.   Ha! We`re more confused in Canada 21:07  |  Jeremy 11/02/09
      24.   Election not over 21:24  |  Gee 11/02/09
      25.   Natallie is right. 22:03  |  Antonio da Silva 11/02/09
      26.   Natallie is right. 22:07  |  Antonio da Silva 11/02/09
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