Kadima secures extra seat in poll

Mr Olmert could have trouble forming a stable coalition, experts say

The Kadima party of acting Israeli PM Ehud Olmert has won elections with 29 seats, one more than initially tallied, according to the final results.

Kadima gained the extra seat after the completion of counting ballots that were held up from Tuesday's poll, the election commission said.

The new tally slightly alters Mr Olmert's coalition-building efforts in the 120-seat parliament.

Two other parties won one seat each, while three others lost one seat.

FINAL RESULTS Winning party: 1. Kadima: 29 seats, centrist Probable partner: 2. Labour: 20 seats, centre-left Possible partners: 3. Shas: 12 seats, ultra-Orthodox 4. Pensioners: 7 seats, single-issue 5. Torah Judaism: 6 seats, ultra-Orthodox 6. Meretz: 5 seats, left-wing Unlikely partners: 7. Israel Beitenu: 11 seats, Russian emigres, far-right 8. Likud: 12 seats, right-wing 9. Arab parties: 9 seats 10. National Union/Religious: 9 seats, far-right, settlers Kadima's big plans Profile: Ehud Olmert

The final tally was announced after ballots cast by soldiers, hospital patients and other delayed votes were counted, the commission said.

It gave the right-wing Likud party 12 seats, one up from its initial tally.

The left-wing Meretz also secured an extra seat, up one from the previous four.

The ultra-Orthodox Shas, far-right Israel Beitenu and the three Israeli Arab parties each lost a seat. They ended up with 12, 11 and nine seats respectively.

The final tally of the four remaining parties - including the second-placed Labour - did not change.

Informal talks have already begun on a new coalition government.

Possible partners for Kadima - the party founded four months ago by now coma-stricken Ariel Sharon - include Labour (20 seats) and other smaller parties.

But Mr Olmert could have trouble forming and maintaining a stable coalition, with a margin of victory less decisive than Kadima had hoped, correspondents say.

The acting PM has vowed to pursue plans to define Israel's final borders. Palestinians urged him not to do so unilaterally.

Voter turnout in the poll was 62.3%, a record low.