The party’s internal election is scheduled to take place in three months, possibly on Sept. 2, despite an aborted attempt by party-secretariat chairman Yehoshua Matza to delay the election by two years.
If chosen as Likud leader, Olmert plans to remain as Jerusalem’s mayor. He has also advocated the Likud joining the new government.
“Whoever is elected leader we’ll support,” Sharon said this week. He denied that the Likud is once again splitting into various camps, adding “we mustn’t return to that.”
During a party faction meeting on Monday, Reuven Rivlin was unanimously elected party whip.