Members of Israel's ruling Kadima party appear to have elected Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni as their new leader, exit polls suggest.
Members of Israel's ruling Kadima party have elected Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to be their new leader, exit polls suggest.
Two television exit polls report that Ms Livni beat Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz by a margin of 48% to 37%.
Two television exit polls suggested that Ms Livni beat Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz by a margin of 48% to 37%.
Voting in the election officially closes at 1930 GMT.
Voting in the election officially closed at 1930 GMT.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who denies corruption claims, has said he will step down from the post after his successor is chosen.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who resigned over corruption allegations, has said he will step down from the post after his successor is chosen.
Exit polls have a long and inglorious history in Israeli elections and should be treated with caution, says the BBC's Tim Franks in Tel Aviv.
However, the scene in Tzipi Livni's campaign headquarters was one of jubilation.
The foreign minister is regarded as being more dovish than Mr Mofaz, when it comes both to dealing with the Palestinians and possibly to her readiness to order military action against Iran, our correspondent says.
But even if there is a clear winner out of the vote, their work will only have just begun - they will have six weeks to form a governing coalition, no easy task.
In the meantime, even though he is no longer party leader, Ehud Olmert will remain prime minister.
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