By RIA Novosti,
Tel Aviv : Tzipi Livni, the new leader of Israel’s Kadima party, is expected to ask on Monday for two more weeks from President Shimon Peres to attempt to form a coalition government.
Livni, 50, who is also the country’s foreign minister, has been attempting to reach political agreements with other parties since being elected leader of the Kadima last month. She took over from Ehud Olmert, who resigned amid accusations of corruption.
She has so far been unsuccessful in her attempts to persuade the ultra-orthodox Shas party to join forces with Kadima and the Labor party.
The Labor party, headed by Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak, has already agreed to join a coalition under the leadership of Livni.
The period for reaching an agreement on a coalition expires on Monday, but Peres is widely expected to grant her another two weeks to attempt to form a coalition and avoid a general election.