Tel Aviv - Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz will demand a recount of Wednesday's primary vote in Israel's ruling Kadima party, supporters said early Thursday after he narrowed his gap behind front-runner Tzipi Livni.

With some 80 per cent of the vote counted by early Thursday, Foreign Minister Livni stood at 45.9 per cent of the vote, against 41.1 per cent for Mofaz, giving her a lead of 4.8 per cent, Israel Radio reported.