Kadima
Kadima (Hebrew: קדימה, Qadīmah, German: "Forward" ) is a party in Israel.
The party was founded in 2005 sees itself as a liberal party in the center of the Israeli political spectrum. She stands politically between the Likud and the Avodah.
Foundation
Kadima was end of November 2005 by the then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ( Likud ) founded, as its plan for unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in the right political spectrum met with resistance. After a power struggle with the Likud finance minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Sharon ended the right-wing coalition with Shinui and Shas and formed in the summer of 2005 a grand coalition with the Labor Party. November 21, 2005 Sharon stepped out back and because of growing opposition from the Likud. The newly formed party won the general election then, also because some prominent members of other parties had converted to Kadima - Interior Minister Meir Shitrit et al and the former head of the Labor Party, Shimon Peres.
Party presidency
Since January 16, 2006 Ehud Olmert held the party presidency, sparking Ariel Sharon from, who was incapacitation due to the effects of a stroke since 4 January 2006. As Olmert resigned in early September 2008 on charges of corruption as party leader, the Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni was elected to the internal party preselection with a narrow margin of 431 votes in favor and 74,000 voters before Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz to chairman on September 17. On March 27, 2012, she was replaced by Shaul Mofaz.
Political principles
The principles of Kadima, which were submitted by Tzipi Livni on 28 November 2005, are not limited to:
- The Israeli nation has a historic right to the whole of Eretz Israel. Nevertheless, a part of its territory must be abandoned in order to obtain a democratic state with a majority Jewish state people. Jerusalem and the large settlements in the West Bank remain part of Israel.
- The implementation of the Road Map should lead to end the conflict with the Palestinians.
- A reform of the electoral system is to improve the stability of the state. After Uriel Reichman Kadima aims at a direct dial inter alia, the Prime Minister, to deprive the party of power boards.
Parliament
After its establishment, the Kadima enjoyed the support of broad strata of the population and has been in the elections on 28 March 2006 with 29 seats the largest party in the Knesset. They formed a parliamentary group with the senior party Gil, who was newly retired with seven seats in the Knesset. In the next election, but Gil failed at the 2 percent threshold.
In the election for the 18th Knesset on 10 February 2009 Kadima came to 28 seats and thus remains the strongest faction in the Knesset.
On 8 May 2012 the Kadima in the by Benjamin Netanyahu ( Likud ) joined led government. Shaul Mofaz was appointed Minister without Portfolio and received the title of Vice - Premiers. On July 17, 2012 Kadima retired from the government back off and threw Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Likud right to make when required by the Constitutional Court reform of conscription to large concessions to the ultra-Orthodox.
In the election for the 19th Knesset on January 22, 2013 Kadima suffered massive losses of more than twenty percentage points and jumped over the two- percent threshold just barely. With 2.08% they received two mandates. The poor performance is mainly due to the fact that the electorate of the center was mostly attracted by the founded in 2012 also located in the middle of party Yesh Atid, which received 14.33%. In addition, many members of the new, founded in December 2012 party Hatnua the former party leader and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni have connected, which reached 4.99% of the vote and six seats in parliament.
Party chairman
- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, 2005 to January 16, 2006
- Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, 2006 to September 17, 2008
- Tzipi Livni, 2008 to March 27, 2012
- Shaul Mofaz, since March 27, 2012