Coalition talks to begin next week, Israel's president says

Coalition talks to begin next week, Israel's president says

Israel's president said Wednesday he'll start talking to party leaders next week about forming a coalition, and that he expects a stable government will emerge.

Traditionally, the Israeli president gives the nod to the leader of the largest party to try to form a government. In Tuesday's election, the centrist Kadima Party of acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert won the most seats in parliament. Kadima won 28 seats, fewer than expected, but enough to form a majority coalition.

"I assume there will be a stable government," the president, Moshe Katsav, told Israel Army Radio, reports the AP.

I.L.