The primary elections for the governing Kadima party leadership are over. So what happens next?
1. Outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert formally gives his and the cabinet’s resignation to President Shimon Peres. Olmert and his cabinet formally take on caretaker status.
2. The president consults with leaders of the political parties in the parliament and chooses one to form a new coalition. As leader of the ruling party, Livni is expected to get the nod for prime minister-designate.
3. The PM-designate will have 28 days to form a new coalition approved by the Knesset. The president customarily gives the PM-designate a 14-day extension, if necessary.
4. If Livni cannot form a coalition, the president can either appoint a new PM-designate from among the leaders of the other parties, or dissolve the the Knesset. The new PM-designate would have the same time frame to form a coalition. If the Knesset is dissolved, a general election is held within 90 days. The winning party is invited to form a new coalition and the process starts all over again.
5. No matter how long it takes, Olmert continues as caretaker prime minister until the Knesset approves a new coalition.
