Home>News Center>World
         
 

Union leader beats Shimon Peres in primary
(AP)
Updated: 2005-11-10 13:50

A fiery union leader won a stunning victory over Shimon Peres in the leadership contest for Israel's Labor Party, officials said Thursday, dealing a blow to the elder statesman that could endanger the country's shaky governing coalition.

Amir Peretz has promised to pull Labor out of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's government, raising the likelihood of early elections. The defeat also could spell the end of Peres' distinguished, six-decade political career. Peres had been heavily favored to win.

Party secretary Eitan Cabel, announcing Peretz's victory, said the labor leader captured over 42 percent of the vote, while Peres took just under 40 percent. A third candidate, former party head Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, got 17 percent.

The outcome will have deep implications for Sharon's shaky coalition.

Peres, a former prime minister who is now vice premier, wanted to keep Labor in the government until elections scheduled in November 2006.

Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Vice Premier Shimon Peres arrives at a polling place in Tel Aviv, November 9, 2005.
Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Vice Premier Shimon Peres arrives at a polling place in Tel Aviv, November 9, 2005. [Reuters]
He led the party into the governing coalition this year to shore up support for Sharon's plans to withdraw from the Gaza Strip. The pullout divided Sharon's Likud Party and without Labor's support, the plan could not have been carried out.

Peretz wants to steer the party back to its socialist roots, pull out of the coalition and force early elections. His message resonated with Israelis disenfranchised by government cuts in social spending and the country's growing gap between rich and poor.

Sharon's Likud Party is deeply divided following the Gaza withdrawal in September. Without Labor's support, he will struggle to keep his coalition intact until the next election, raising the likelihood of early elections.

Opinion polls had forecast a resounding victory for Peres in Wednesday's primary. But after two exit polls gave conflicting results, party activists hunkered down for a long night.

Peres called a surprise news conference at 3:15 a.m. to say he suspected fraud had occurred in the vote. Peres did not directly accuse Peretz of foul play, but said reports of wrongdoing had to be checked.

"At this stage, we ask to check the complaints," he said. "We are turning to the legal institutions of the party to look into this."

But party officials rejected the fraud claim, clearing the way for a Peretz victory.

The defeat was a major embarrassment for Peres, who enjoyed double-digit leads in opinion polls, and cemented his image as a perennial loser.

While Peres, a Nobel peace laureate, is widely revered abroad, he has had trouble connecting with Israeli voters and failed in five previous elections for prime minister.

Peres, 82, repeatedly has emerged from the political wilderness. But political analyst Hanan Crystal said the defeat might mark the end of his career.

"This could be his wake. What can he do after this?" Crystal said. He said Peres' other options including becoming Peretz's deputy or splitting off from the party.

Peres believed that remaining in the coalition would let him push forward with peace efforts. Since the Gaza pullout, he has led negotiations with the Palestinians to resolve key disputes, such as control over Gaza's borders, and to help rebuild Gaza's shattered economy.

Peretz said that with the Gaza withdrawal complete, the party should pull out of the government and focus on the economy. Labor has adopted more free-market economic policies in recent years, drawing criticism from its traditional supporters in the unions, working class and farming sectors.

"I think that there are a lot of people waiting for the moment that someone will fight for their right to make a living with respect, to grow old with respect," Peretz told Israel's Army Radio on Wednesday.

Peretz said that if he wins, he would either negotiate an early election with Sharon or seek a parliamentary majority to topple the government.

Peretz also could face difficulties within the Labor Party. Pulling out of the coalition will mean that eight senior members will have to step down from coveted positions of government ministers.

Crystal said these party leaders are content with being the junior coalition partner and in no hurry to head to elections. Sharon remains the country's most popular politician and Labor leaders believe they are in no position to unseat him, Crystal said.



Suicide bombers kill 57 at Jordan hotels
Health experts plan regional stockpiles of antiviral drugs
Plane crash exercise in Manila
 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

3 Chinese among 57 killed in Jordan hotel bombings

 

   
 

Blair: China's rapid development not a threat

 

   
 

New outbreaks reported, 'situation serious'

 

   
 

Banker: No official adjustment of yuan rate

 

   
 

Panel urges US-China energy cooperation

 

   
 

Hostage stand-off ends in suicide blast

 

   
  3 Chinese among 57 killed in Jordan hotel bombings
   
  US tells North Korea to stop reactor now
   
  Rioting begins to slack off in France
   
  Asia terror chief believed killed in Indonesia
   
  US feds indict 2 in missile-smuggling scheme
   
  Saddam's defense team threatens to boycott
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  News Talk  
  Are the Republicans exploiting the memory of 9/11?  
Manufacturers, Exporters, Wholesalers - Global trade starts here.
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 男人j桶进女人p无遮挡在线观看| 久久水蜜桃亚洲AV无码精品| 美女高清特黄a大片| 国产欧美亚洲精品a第一页 | 亚洲日本人成中文字幕| 高清无码一区二区在线观看吞精| 国产自产视频在线观看香蕉| eeuss鲁片一区二区三区| 成人免费视频一区二区| 久久久久亚洲精品无码网址| 日韩精品一区二区三区中文3d| 亚洲人成网站在线观看播放| 母子俩肥水不流外人田| 伊人久久大香线蕉观看| 精品国产自在现线久久| 国产**a大片毛片| 草莓视频成人appios| 国产又色又爽又刺激视频| 国产精品永久免费10000| 国产精品一区二区av| 69sex久久精品国产麻豆| 国精产品wnw2544a| a级日本理论片在线播放| 日韩欧美国产师生制服| 亚洲成a人片在线观看www| 污视频网站在线| 人人狠狠综合久久亚洲| 男生和女生一起差差差很痛视频 | 一级大黄美女免费播放| 最近免费中文字幕大全高清大全1| 亚洲日韩AV一区二区三区四区 | 国产精品视频第一区二区三区| a资源在线观看| 女地狱肉之壶极限调教2| 一区二区精品久久| 怡红院亚洲红怡院在线观看| 动漫精品一区二区三区四区| 全免费毛片在线播放| 国精品午夜福利视频不卡| 99在线国产视频| 在线视频国产99|