2012 Kadima leadership election days prior to the primary, and endorsed Mofaz. Polls closed at 22:00, but results were not in until 01:00 the next day. Mofaz defeated Livni 62.3% to 37.7%, but invited her to remain in the party in his victory speech. Livni called Mofaz to congratulate him and thanked her supporters in a concession speech. Likud MK Ofir Akunis wished Mofaz a long career as opposition leader and said Kadima was "at the end of its journey". Fellow Likud MK Danny Danon criticized the "left-wing" views of Mofaz, such as his plan to return the borders of Israel to the Green
Meretz new chairman. On 22 December 2008, Meretz finalized its merger with Hatnua HaHadasha ("The New Movement") for the 2009 Israeli elections. The joint Meretz-Hatnua HaHadasha list ended up winning only 3 seats in the elections. This electoral loss was largely attributed to traditionally left-wing voters choosing to strategically vote for Kadima, in an effort to get Tzipi Livni to head the next government instead of Benjamin Netanyahu of Likud. Following the party's failure in the 2009 legislative elections, some of the party members called for the resignation of the party chairman Haim Oron and to give way for Zehava Gal-On.