Ehud Olmert (1945-) is an Israeli lawyer and politician of the Kadima party, having left Likud with his mentor, Ariel Sharon. He was a member of the Knesset (1973-1998), when he resigned to become Mayor of Jerusalem. Reelected to the Knesset in 2003, he had several Cabinet posts, and became Acting Prime Minister in 2005 due to the illness of Ariel Sharon.
Kadima won new elections in 2006, and he served as Prime Minister from May 2006 to March 2009. He resigned from office over allegations of corruption while Mayor of Jerusalem.