McCain Institute hosts former Israeli Prime Minister for leadership talk

The McCain Institute for International Leadership hosted former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on June 5, for a discussion on “Leadership in the Middle East.”

The event continued the institute’s Leadership Voices series, in which remarkable individuals share their perspectives on what makes good leadership. Olmert spoke about the critical role of character-driven leadership in a region that has seen both remarkable triumphs and stunning failures of governance.

Olmert began his career as the youngest member of the Knesset when elected with the Likud party in 1973. After 20 years in national politics, including service as mayor of Jerusalem and Vice Prime Minister, Olmert served as Prime Minister from 2006 to 2009. The discussion, moderated by Ambassador Kurt Volker, executive director of the McCain Institute, also addressed the challenges and limitations Middle East leaders face in addressing the ongoing turmoil in the Arab world.