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Polls close in Israeli election | Polls close in Israeli election |
(10 minutes later) | |
Polls have closed in Israel's general election, with a higher than expected turnout despite poor weather and fears of voter apathy. | Polls have closed in Israel's general election, with a higher than expected turnout despite poor weather and fears of voter apathy. |
Results are expected to be close in the snap poll called by PM Ehud Olmert, who stood aside corruption allegations. | Results are expected to be close in the snap poll called by PM Ehud Olmert, who stood aside corruption allegations. |
Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu of Likud was front-runner, ahead of Tzipi Livni of the governing Kadima party. | Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu of Likud was front-runner, ahead of Tzipi Livni of the governing Kadima party. |
However, first exit polls suggest that Kadima has won 30 seats ahead of the Likud party on 28. | However, first exit polls suggest that Kadima has won 30 seats ahead of the Likud party on 28. |
Right-winger Mr Netanyahu had enjoyed an opinion-poll lead over centrist Ms Livni, but the gap narrowed in the days before the poll. | Right-winger Mr Netanyahu had enjoyed an opinion-poll lead over centrist Ms Livni, but the gap narrowed in the days before the poll. |
Some analysts put them neck-and-neck in the final run-up. | Some analysts put them neck-and-neck in the final run-up. |
The first official results are expected in several hours. Exit polls are not always reliable. | |
But cheers erupted at Kadima's headquarters as the exit polls were announced on Israeli TV. | |
Earlier, Likud spokesman Roni Rimon expressed dismay as internal polling indicated Kadima was closing the gap. | |
"There is a sense of a missed opportunity. We had in the past a lead of up to five or six seats over Kadima and now we are down to one," he said. | "There is a sense of a missed opportunity. We had in the past a lead of up to five or six seats over Kadima and now we are down to one," he said. |
After Mr Olmert announced last year he was stepping down, Ms Livni attempted to form a new government without elections but failed. | After Mr Olmert announced last year he was stepping down, Ms Livni attempted to form a new government without elections but failed. |