Tel Aviv - Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni remains the favourite candidate to win next week's primary in Israel's ruling Kadima party, maintaining her two-digit lead, according to an opinion poll published Friday.

Over 46 per cent of Kadima members polled said they supported Livni, while under 28 per cent said they favoured her main rival, Shaul Mofaz, said the Ma'ariv daily, which commissioned the poll. That gives her a lead of nearly 19 per cent.

Livni, a centrist, is Israel's chief negotiator in the peace talks with Israel as well as Olmert's deputy. Mofaz is a former army chief of staff and defence minister with high security credentials, who currently serves as transportation minister. He is considered a relative hawk within the ruling party.

Observers, however, say Mofaz has more influence with Kadima field activists, who plan to convince members to got out and vote for him.

Just under 64 per cent of Kadima members polled said they were sure they were going to cast a vote. Of those, slightly more than 47 per cent said they would vote for Livni against just under 32 per for Mofaz, giving her a nearly 16-per-cent lead.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has agreed to let his party elect a new leader because he is under investigation over corruption suspicions and police have recommended he be indicted. He has announced he will resign after the primary. His successor will then attempt to form a new coalition, until which Olmert could stay on as acting premier.

The first round of the primary will be held Wednesday. Some 73,000 registered Kadima members are eligible to vote. The poll by Teleseker questioned 400 Kadima members and had a margin of error of 4.9 per cent. (dpa)