ETimor on track for coalition govt
Thursday, 5 July 2007
DILI, July 4 (AFP): East Timor appeared headed for a coalition government Wednesday with most votes in last week's parliamentary polls counted but no one party set to win the majority needed to govern alone.
The likely lack of an outright winner sets the stage for horse-trading in the days ahead between the 14 parties that contested the elections, which are seen as a crucial step towards healing the nation after a year of turmoil.
National election commission (CNE) spokeswoman Maria Sarmento said that counting was complete in eight of East Timor's 13 districts, with the remaining districts expected to finish by Thursday night.
"Once all materials have been received by the CNE, the verification and national tabulation will start," she told a press briefing.
The CNE's website showed that nearly 374,000 valid votes had been counted, with Fretilin collecting 28.6 percent, followed by a party set up by former president Xanana Gusmao, the National Congress of East Timor's Reconstruction (CNRT), with 22.8 percent.
The Association of Timorese Democrats-Social Democrat Party (ASDT-PSD) coalition trailed third with 16 percent followed by the Democrat Party with 11.9 percent.
The likely lack of an outright winner sets the stage for horse-trading in the days ahead between the 14 parties that contested the elections, which are seen as a crucial step towards healing the nation after a year of turmoil.
National election commission (CNE) spokeswoman Maria Sarmento said that counting was complete in eight of East Timor's 13 districts, with the remaining districts expected to finish by Thursday night.
"Once all materials have been received by the CNE, the verification and national tabulation will start," she told a press briefing.
The CNE's website showed that nearly 374,000 valid votes had been counted, with Fretilin collecting 28.6 percent, followed by a party set up by former president Xanana Gusmao, the National Congress of East Timor's Reconstruction (CNRT), with 22.8 percent.
The Association of Timorese Democrats-Social Democrat Party (ASDT-PSD) coalition trailed third with 16 percent followed by the Democrat Party with 11.9 percent.