East Timor’s Ramos-Horta and ‘Lu Olo’ face off in presidential poll

DILI, April 19 (Reuters) – Polls closed on Tuesday within the second and closing spherical of East Timor’s presidential election, extensively seen as key to the nation’s stability, with early counts anticipated to indicate Nobel laureate and former president Jose Ramos-Horta as favorite.

Independence hero Ramos-Horta, who led the nation from 2007 to 2012 and obtained 46.5% of votes within the first spherical final month, wants simply 30,000 further votes to safe an outright majority, in keeping with an skilled on the College of Melbourne.

Early vote counts are anticipated to be obtainable late on Tuesday. The following president can be sworn in on Might 20, the twentieth anniversary of East Timor’s independence from a brutal occupation by neighbouring Indonesia.

Ramos-Horta, who additionally served asprime minister and international minister, is up in opposition to incumbent president Francisco “Lu Olo” Guterres – additionally a famous resistance determine – who garnered 22.1% within the first spherical.

Political fractures have underscored this election, with Ramos-Horta, 72, signalling that he could use presidential powers to dissolve parliament and name for early parliamentary elections if he wins.

Ramos-Horta mentioned he felt compelled to run for president after Lu Olo refused to swear in additional than half a dozen ministers after the 2018 elections attributable to investigations into alleged misconduct.

That call ignited the continuing political deadlock.

Ramos-Horta has mentioned the nation can anticipate a “political earthquake” if elected however Damien Kingsbury, an East Timor skilled and emeritus professor at Australia’s Deakin College, mentioned dissolving parliament might “introduce a degree of instability again into the Timorese political system”.

Within the capital Dili, voters queued up outdoors polling stations and dipped their fingers in purple indelible ink after casting their ballots.

“My hope is the presidential candidate who’s elected and the one who will not be can shake palms and advise one another to make sure stability and never create a disaster,” mentioned 27-year-old college pupil Lizia Bachita de Araujo.

“I need the president to have the ability to work with the federal government to create extra jobs,” mentioned Dili resident and housewife Pascoela da Silve Pereira. “It’s tough for individuals to offer for his or her households.”

After voting within the Dili suburb of Metiaut, Ramos-Horta mentioned he was “very assured” he would win, however would settle for any consequence.

Lu Olo, a 67-year-old former guerrilla fighter, additionally affirmed his dedication to accepting the outcomes.

“That is democracy and I at all times say (win or lose) it should be with dignity,” he mentioned.

The half-island nation of 1.3 million has lately grappled with political instability and the necessity to diversify its financial system away from oil and fuel revenues.

Reporting by Kate Lamb in Sydney and Nelson Da Cruz in Dili; Modifying by Kanupriya Kapoor and Nick Macfie

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Belief Ideas.