The Israeli Cabinet on Tuesday declared Prime Minister Ariel Sharon permanently incapacitated, officially ending his five-year tenure. Sharon, 78, has been in a coma since he suffered a significant stroke Jan. 4. His deputy, Ehud Olmert, immediately stepped in as his temporary replacement.
Olmert has since won general elections as leader of the centrist Kadima Party, and has become the designated prime minister, the AP reported.
Tuesday's announcement was symbolic, since Olmert has been Israel's de facto prime minister since January.
However, under Israeli law an ailing prime minister can only have a temporary replacement for up to 100 days before an official successor must be named.
Sharon underwent a CT scan on Monday to determine the outcome of surgery last week to reattach a portion of his skull removed in previous surgery.
