2012 Kadima leadership election would offer her a position if he was prime minister. Citing his four decades of military service and participation in four wars, he said that he would "make the utmost effort to achieve peace with [Israel's] neighbors". He also said that non-participation in the military service was a growing problem and that Israel must reform its system of governance. Previously in support of unity, Mofaz declined to join a Netanyahu government. He was confident that he could change the course of Kadima and take it to victory. Livni picked up the endorsements of 12 MKs and two party functionaries, while
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.