Likud candidate Reuven Rivlin emerged victorious Tuesday from Israel’s presidential elections at the Knesset, winning the post by a 63 to 53 margin after two rounds of voting.
Rivlin beat out Hatnua candidate Meir Sheetrit, a veteran MK from the center of the political spectrum. He will take over the office of the president after President Shimon Peres steps down after seven years on July 26.
Rivlin was considered the favorite coming into the race after he secured the public support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu several weeks ago. But there was considerable speculation that outsider Sheetrit would pip him on the second round run-off. Rivlin had failed to win the presidency seven years ago, when Peres beat him, and many analysts believed he was about to fail again.
Read full story from the Times of Israel: Rivlin beats out Sheetrit to become Israel’s 10th president.
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