2009 Israeli legislative election suggest that the coalition's complete breakup was imminent and that new elections would take place by January 2013. 2009 Israeli legislative election Elections for the 18th Knesset were held in Israel on 10 February 2009. These elections became necessary due to the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as leader of the Kadima party, and the failure of his successor, Tzipi Livni, to form a coalition government. Had Olmert remained in office or had Livni formed a coalition government, the elections would have been scheduled for 2010 instead. Although the incumbent prime minister's party, Kadima, won the most seats in
Eti Livni with most of the party's MKs, she defected to the Secular Faction (which later became Hetz) shortly before the 2006 elections following disagreements over the results of Shinui's primary results. She was placed sixth on the Hetz list for the elections, but lost her seat when the party failed to cross the electoral threshold. In 2008 it was announced that Livni would run for a spot on the Kadima list for the 2009 elections. Ultimately she was placed 51st on the party's list, failing to win a seat. Eti Livni Eti Livni (, born 1 June 1948) is a former