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Jerusalem: Israel?s centrist Kadima party looks set to win the elections on Tuesday, according to the latest opinion polls. The party, which proposes withdrawing from parts of the occupied West Bank, is estimated to secure 34 seats, falling short of the 40-plus seats that party leader, interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, had hoped to win. Kadima is expected to have a substantial decrease in majority following the loss of Ariel Sharon as leader. Sharon has been in a coma since January following a major stroke. The dip in votes could mean the party may face difficulties in forming a stable coalition to set Israel?s permanent borders, which would involve dismantling Jewish colonies and building up bigger ones on land wanted by Palestinians.
According to surveys, the left-wing Labour Party is the closest contestant to Kadima, with an estimated 17 to 21 seats, while the right-wing Likud party is trailing behind with 13 to 14.
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