Israeli statesman; Prime Minister (2006–09). He was a Likud government minister from 1988 to 1992 and then Mayor of Jerusalem (1993–2003). He returned to government as Ariel Sharon’s Deputy Prime Minister and followed Sharon in splitting with Likud (2005) to found the Kadima party. After Sharon’s incapacitation by a stroke (January 2006), Olmert became Acting Prime Minister and led Kadima in the 2006 elections. He emerged as Prime Minister of a Kadima–Labour coalition, but resigned as leader of Kadima in 2008 following allegations of corruption. He remained Prime Minister until elections in 2009. In 2012 he was convicted of breach of trust but acquitted on other charges; at a second trial in 2014 he was convicted for accepting bribes and began a 27-month sentence inFebruary 2016.