East Timorese parliamentary election, 2007

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East Timorese parliamentary election, 2007
Flag of East Timor.svg
  2001 30 June 2007 2012  

All 65 seats to the National Parliament of East Timor

 First partySecond party
  Mari Bin Amude Alkatiri 2001.jpg President gusmao.jpg
Leader Mari Alkatiri Xanana Gusmão
Party FRETILIN CNRT
Last election55 seats, 57.4%
Seats won2118
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 34New
Popular vote120,592100,175
Percentage29.02%24.10%

Prime Minister before election

Estanislau da Silva
FRETILIN

Prime Minister-designate

Xanana Gusmão
CNRT

Coat of arms of East Timor.svg
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Timor-Leste
Constitution

A parliamentary election was held in East Timor on 30 June 2007. [1] Although a narrow plurality was achieved by the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (FRETILIN), a coalition involving the next three largest groups formed a government. New Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão (who was the nation's President until May 2007) of the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT) was sworn in on 8 August 2007; Fernando de Araújo of the Democratic Party became President of the National Parliament.

East Timor Country in Maritime Southeast Asia

East Timor or Timor-Leste, officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a country in Maritime Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island surrounded by Indonesian West Timor. Australia is the country's southern neighbour, separated by the Timor Sea. The country's size is about 15,410 km2.

A plurality vote or relative majority describes the circumstance when a candidate or proposition polls more votes than any other, but does not receive a majority. For example, if 100 votes were cast, including 45 for Candidate A, 30 for Candidate B and 25 for Candidate C, then Candidate A received a plurality of votes but not a majority. In some votes, the winning candidate or proposition may have only a plurality, depending on the rules of the organization holding the vote.

Prime Minister of East Timor position

The Prime Minister of Timor-Leste is the head of government in East Timor. The President is the head of state. The President of East Timor appoints the Prime Minister, after parliamentary elections and have listened to all parties represented in the National Assembly, who is usually the leader of the large party or coalition. The Prime Minister oversees the activities of the government and chairs the Council of Ministers.

Contents

Prelude

Vote counting in this election was conducted differently due to a new law, according to which votes were to be counted at district counting centres, rather than at polling stations as they were formerly. [2] It was required of parties that one out of every four candidates on their candidate lists be women. [3]

Former President Xanana Gusmão contested the elections with his newly founded National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction. [4] Fourteen parties participated in the election for the 65 seats in parliament, [2] conducted on the basis of proportional representation with party lists. [5]

President of East Timor Position

The President of East Timor – officially the President of the Democratic Republic of East Timor – is the head of state in East Timor, elected by popular vote for a five-year term. Their executive powers are somewhat limited, though he or she is able to veto legislation. Following elections, the president usually appoints as the prime minister, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition. As head of government the prime minister presides over the cabinet.

Xanana Gusmão former President and Prime Minister of East Timor

Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, GColIH, GCL, GCMG is an East Timorese politician. A former militant, he was the first President of East Timor, serving from May 2002 to May 2007. He then became the fourth Prime Minister of East Timor, serving from 8 August 2007 to 16 February 2015. He has been Minister of Planning and Strategic Investment since February 2015.

National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction political party

The National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction is a political party in East Timor founded by former President Xanana Gusmão in March 2007 in preparation for the 2007 parliamentary election.

In early June, two supporters of the CNRT were killed in pre-election violence at the beginning of the campaign period; the rest of the campaign period was reportedly peaceful, however. [2]

Election

Seven parties won seats; the four leading parties are the FRETILIN, Gusmão's CNRT, a coalition of the Timorese Social Democratic Association and the Social Democratic Party, and the Democratic Party.

Timorese Social Democratic Association

The Timorese Social Democratic Association is a political party in East Timor.

Social Democratic Party (East Timor) political party in East Timor

The Social Democratic Party is a centrist political party in East Timor. In the parliamentary election held on 30 August 2001, the party won 8.2% of the popular vote and 6 out of 88 seats. President of PSD is Minister for Foreign Affairs Zacarias da Costa since 7 December 2008.

Democratic Party (East Timor) political party in East Timor

The Democratic Party or the Democratic Party in Timor-Leste is a centre-left political party in East Timor, established on 10 June, 2001. Currently, most of the members of the party are of the young generation who are studying abroad, and those who have completed their studies in Indonesia, Norway, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

Provisional results announced on show of 9 July FRETILIN in first place with 29.02% of the vote, followed by the CNRT with 24.10%, the ASDT-PSD with 15.73%, and the Democratic Party with 11.30%. On the same day, the electoral commission announced the distribution of seats based on the provisional results: 21 for FRETILIN, 18 for the CNRT, 11 for the ASDT-PSD, 8 for the Democratic Party, 3 for the National Unity Party, 2 for the Democratic Alliance, and 2 for UNDERTIM. To win seats, a party had to receive at least 3% of the vote, and seven parties did not reach this level. The electoral commission placed voter turnout at 80.5%. [1]

Post-election negotiations

With no party receiving a majority of the vote, a coalition government became necessary. Shortly after the election, a CNRT spokesman said that the party was discussing the possibility of forming a coalition with the ASDT-PSD and the Democratic Party. [6] FRETILIN secretary-general Mari Alkatiri also said his party was engaged in coalition talks, but said there was no possibility of the party forming a coalition with the CNRT. [7] PSD leader Mario Viegas Carrascalao said that an alliance of his party with the CNRT would be "natural", but that the presence of a breakaway faction of FRETILIN in the CNRT was "unacceptable". [8] Democratic Party leader Fernando "Lasama" de Araújo said that his party could form a coalition with the CNRT, as there were "no big differences" between it and Gusmão, [9] but also said that there should be a government of national unity including all parties elected to parliament; he argued that it would be harmful to exclude anyone due to what he described as deep differences already existing in the country. [8] President José Ramos-Horta also mentioned the possibility of a national unity government, but Alkatiri, reiterating that a coalition including both FRETILIN and the CNRT was out of the question, said that it would be better for democracy for there to be a strong opposition. [10]

On 6 July, it was announced that the CNRT, the ASDT-PSD, and the Democratic Party would form a coalition. [11] Alkatiri argued that it is not necessary for a party to have a majority of seats to govern, and that FRETILIN could form a minority government; [12] on 7 July, he said that FRETILIN would do so if it could not form a coalition with other parties. [13] However, he subsequently expressed interest in a government of national unity and said that FRETILIN's doors were "open for all parties, including CNRT". [14]

On 16 July, President Ramos-Horta said that FRETILIN and the CNRT-led alliance of parties had agreed to form a national unity government, although details remained to be discussed and it had not been decided who would be prime minister. [15] Negotiations between the parties began regarding the composition of the new government; Ramos-Horta said that he would make the decision if the parties could not reach an agreement. [16] On 24 July, he said that the parties had "not yet reached agreement on a new government", but that his 25 July deadline for the parties to reach an agreement was "flexible". [17] Araújo, as spokesman for the CNRT-led coalition, said that it would propose Gusmão as Prime Minister, arguing that, because the parties in the coalition will hold a combined majority of seats, it is their constitutional right to choose the prime minister. He said that FRETILIN could not expect anything more than to have some ministers in the government. [18]

Parliament was sworn in for its new term on 30 July, although the new government and prime minister were still undecided. Araújo was elected speaker of parliament at the new parliament's first session. [19]

Alkatiri said on 1 August that he would be FRETILIN's candidate for prime minister, while criticising Gusmão's record as president. Ramos-Horta delayed his deadline for forming a government until 3 August. [20] In a statement, Alkatiri called for a national unity government, saying that this would bring stability and citing what he described as "the will of the electorate". [21]

On 3 August, Ramos-Horta said that he would ask the CNRT-led coalition to form a government on 6 August, because of its parliamentary majority, unless an agreement is reached before then. He said that this decision was based on his conscience; he also said that, if FRETILIN is excluded, it would still be needed by the new government and would not be ignored. [22] FRETILIN threatened to boycott parliament. [23]

Ramos-Horta announced on 6 August that the CNRT-led coalition would form the government and that Gusmão would become Prime Minister. [24] FRETILIN denounced Ramos-Horta's decision as unconstitutional, and angry FRETILIN supporters in Dili immediately reacted to Ramos-Horta's announcement with violent protests. [23] On 7 August, Alkatiri said that the party would fight the decision through legal means. [25]

Gusmão was sworn in at the presidential palace in Dili on 8 August; [26] most of his government was also sworn in on the same day. [27] [28] José Luís Guterres, the leader of a dissident FRETILIN faction, became Deputy Prime Minister. [28]

Aftermath

Population Displacements 2007 after announcement of new government Population Displacements 2007 East Timor.png
Population Displacements 2007 after announcement of new government

An estimated 600 houses and confirmed 142 were burnt by marauding mobs. The majority of the damage was experienced in the areas where FRETILIN's support is strongest between Viqueque and Baucau. A few buildings in Dili were also torched. [30] In Baucau, police said that over 50 people had been arrested for arson. [31]

Alkatiri said that FRETILIN would urge the people to protest and practice civil disobedience. He said that FRETILIN was not responsible for the violence, which he said was the result of the people's frustration, and that he hoped the discontent did not lead to a "people's power" revolt, although he said FRETILIN could not "stop the people protesting for their rights". [31] Arsenio Bano of FRETILIN claimed that his party had been willing to accept an independent prime minister as part of a national unity government, and that Ramos-Horta had also supported this idea, but that Gusmão rejected it because he wanted to be prime minister. [28]

On 10 August, a convent in Baucau was attacked and damaged, and a number of female students at the convent were said to have been raped. The government said that a child had been killed in Viqueque, the first death to be reported in the unrest. [32] On 11 August, a UN convoy of three vehicles was attacked between Baucau and Viqueque. According to FRETILIN, this attack was the result of the destruction by members of the UN force of banners and flags used by protesters. [33]

A few days later, Bano said that FRETILIN would not challenge the government in court, and expressed a desire for a "political solution" leading to the creation of a national unity government. [34] After initially boycotting parliament, the FRETILIN members began attending later in August. Gusmão has reportedly offered FRETILIN positions in the government [35] though this probably refers to the ex-Fretilin members such as José Luís Guterres.

On 23 August, violence occurred in several places, including Dili, and two people were reported killed in Ermera. In Metinaro, near Dili, there was fighting in the streets with machetes and other weapons; at least ten houses were reportedly burned and the town's market was destroyed. [35] [36] [37]

Results

e    d  Summary of the 30 June 2007 East Timorese parliamentary election results
PartiesVotes%Seats
Fretilin (Frente Revolucionária do Timor-Leste Independente)120,59229.0221
National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (Congresso Nacional da Reconstrução Timorense)100,17524.1018
PSD–ASDT
65,35815.7311
Democratic Party (Partido Democrático)46,94611.308
National Unity Party (Partido Unidade Nacional)18,8964.553
Democratic Alliance (Aliança Democratica)
13,2943.202
National Unity of Timorese Resistance (União Nacional Democrática de Resistência Timorense)13,2473.192
Timorese Nationalist Party (Partido Nasionalista Timorense)10,0572.420
Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste Party (Partido Democratika Republica de Timor)7,7181.860
Republican Party (Partidu Republikanu)4,4081.060
Christian Democratic Party (Partido Democrata Cristão)4,3001.030
Socialist Party of Timor (Partido Socialista de Timor)3,9820.960
Timorese Democratic Union (União Democrática Timorense)3,7530.900
Millennium Democratic Party (Partido Milénio Democrático)2,8780.690
Total (turnout 80.5%)415,604100.0065
Source: CNE

After all the contradictions occurred with all the violent acts by the population who didn't satisfied with the election yield. Xanana Gusmão, the president of CNRT built an Alliance of Parliament that embraced some parties that wanted to join his party. Eventually, both majority prties (CNRT and Fretilin) agreed with the coalition which is the Alliance of Parliament (AMP - Alianca de Maioria Parlamentar, in Portuguese) to take over the parliament and government.

Related Research Articles

José Ramos-Horta former president and prime minister of East Timor

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References

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  29. Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
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