Israel's Labor Party was due to meet Thursday to set a date for primaries ahead of elections expected by May, after beleaguered Prime Minister Ehud Barak agreed to hold an early vote two years ahead of schedule.
A party spokesman said Barak, so far Labor’s only candidate, called for the party's central committee to meet near Tel Aviv, two days after MPs voted in favor of dissolving parliament and holding an early poll.
According to political commentator Aviv Drucker, who works for army radio, Barak requested the "urgent" meeting in order to hold primaries as soon as possible and discourage potential rivals, namely parliamentary speaker Avraham Burg, from vying for the leadership.
Burg has not said whether he is interested in running for the party leadership.
The central committee is comprised of 1,800 members – JERUSALEM (AFP)
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