East Timorese parliamentary election, 2007
Encyclopedia
A parliamentary election was held in East Timor
on 30 June 2007. 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
.
Former President
Xanana Gusmão
contested the elections with his newly founded National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction
. Fourteen parties participated in the election for the 65 seats in parliament, conducted on the basis of proportional representation
with party lists.
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.
, Gusmão's CNRT, a coalition of the Timorese Social Democratic Association
and the Social Democratic Party
, and the Democratic Party
.
Provisional results announced on July 9 show 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. In order 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%.
also said his party was engaged in coalition talks, but said there was no possibility of the party forming a coalition with the CNRT. 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". 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, 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. 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.
On July 6, it was announced that the CNRT, the ASDT-PSD, and the Democratic Party would form a coalition. 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; on July 7, he said that FRETILIN would do so if it could not form a coalition with other parties. However, he subsequently expressed interest in a government of national unity and said that FRETILIN's doors were "open for all parties, including CNRT".
On July 16, 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. 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. On July 24, he said that the parties had "not yet reached agreement on a new government", but that his July 25 deadline for the parties to reach an agreement was "flexible". 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.
Parliament was sworn in for its new term on July 30, although the new government and prime minister were still undecided. Araújo was elected speaker of parliament at the new parliament's first session.
Alkatiri said on August 1 that he would be FRETILIN's candidate for prime minister, while criticizing Gusmão's record as president. Ramos-Horta delayed his deadline for forming a government until August 3. 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".
On August 3, Ramos-Horta said that he would ask the CNRT-led coalition to form a government on August 6, 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. FRETILIN threatened to boycott parliament.
Ramos-Horta announced on August 6 that the CNRT-led coalition would form the government and that Gusmão would become Prime Minister. FRETILIN denounced Ramos-Horta's decision as unconstitutional, and angry FRETILIN supporters in Dili
immediately reacted to Ramos-Horta's announcement with violent protests. On August 7, Alkatiri said that the party would fight the decision through legal means.
Gusmão was sworn in at the presidential palace in Dili
on August 8; most of his government was also sworn in on the same day. José Luís Guterres
, the leader of a dissident FRETILIN faction, became Deputy Prime Minister.
.
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". 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.
On August 10, 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. On August 11, 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.
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. After initially boycotting parliament, the FRETILIN members began attending later in August. Gusmão has reportedly offered FRETILIN positions in the government though this probably refers to the ex-Fretilin members such as José Luís Guterres.
On August 23, 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 machete
s and other weapons; at least ten houses were reportedly burned and the town's market was destroyed.
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 Maioria de Parlamentar, in Portuguese) to take over the parliament and government.
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in 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, within Indonesian West Timor...
on 30 June 2007. Although a narrow plurality was achieved by the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor
Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor
The Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor is a leftist political party in East Timor. They presently hold a plurality of seats in the National Parliament and formed the government in East Timor from independence until 2007...
(FRETILIN), a coalition involving the next three largest groups formed a government. New Prime Minister
Prime Minister of East Timor
The Prime Minister of Timor-Leste is the head of government in East Timor. The President is the head of state. The Prime Minister is chosen by the political party or alliance of political parties with a majority in the national legislature and is formally appointed by the president...
Xanana Gusmão
Xanana Gusmão
Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão GCL is a former militant who was the first President of East Timor, serving from May 2002 to May 2007...
(who was the nation's President
President of East Timor
The President of East Timor is the Head of state of the East Timorese republic, elected by popular vote for a five-year term. The role is largely symbolic, though he is able to veto some legislation. Following elections, the president appoints as the prime minister, the leader of the majority party...
until May 2007) of the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction
National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction
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....
(CNRT) was sworn in on 8 August 2007; Fernando de Araújo
Fernando de Araújo (East Timorese politician)
Fernando de Araújo, also known by Lasama is an East Timorese politician and the current President of the National Parliament of East Timor. He was also serving as the Acting President of East Timor for two months in early 2008. He is also the President of the Democratic Party. He is married to...
of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (East Timor)
The Democratic Party or the Democratic Party In Timor-Leste is a social-democratic political party in East Timor, established on 10 June 2001...
became President
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the National Parliament
National Parliament of East Timor
The National Parliament of East Timor is the unicameral national legislature in East Timor. It was created in 2001 as the Constituent Assembly while the country was still under the supervision of the United Nations, but renamed itself to the National Parliament with the attaining of national...
.
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 centers, rather than at polling stations as they were formerly. It was required of parties that one out of every four candidates on their candidate lists be women.Former President
President of East Timor
The President of East Timor is the Head of state of the East Timorese republic, elected by popular vote for a five-year term. The role is largely symbolic, though he is able to veto some legislation. Following elections, the president appoints as the prime minister, the leader of the majority party...
Xanana Gusmão
Xanana Gusmão
Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão GCL is a former militant who was the first President of East Timor, serving from May 2002 to May 2007...
contested the elections with his newly founded National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction
National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction
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....
. Fourteen parties participated in the election for the 65 seats in parliament, conducted on the basis of proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
with party lists.
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.
Election
Seven parties won seats; the four leading parties are the FRETILINRevolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor
The Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor is a leftist political party in East Timor. They presently hold a plurality of seats in the National Parliament and formed the government in East Timor from independence until 2007...
, Gusmão's CNRT, a coalition of the Timorese Social Democratic Association
Timorese Social Democratic Association
The Timorese Social Democratic Association is a social-democratic political party in East Timor....
and the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (East Timor)
The Social Democratic Party is a social-democratic 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...
, and the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (East Timor)
The Democratic Party or the Democratic Party In Timor-Leste is a social-democratic political party in East Timor, established on 10 June 2001...
.
Provisional results announced on July 9 show 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. In order 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%.
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. FRETILIN secretary-general Mari AlkatiriMari Alkatiri
Mari Bim Amude Alkatiri was the first Prime Minister of an internationally-recognized East Timor. He served from May 2002 until he resigned on 26 June 2006 following weeks of political unrest in the country...
also said his party was engaged in coalition talks, but said there was no possibility of the party forming a coalition with the CNRT. 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". Democratic Party leader Fernando "Lasama" de Araújo
Fernando de Araújo (East Timorese politician)
Fernando de Araújo, also known by Lasama is an East Timorese politician and the current President of the National Parliament of East Timor. He was also serving as the Acting President of East Timor for two months in early 2008. He is also the President of the Democratic Party. He is married to...
said that his party could form a coalition with the CNRT, as there were "no big differences" between it and Gusmão, 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. 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.
On July 6, it was announced that the CNRT, the ASDT-PSD, and the Democratic Party would form a coalition. 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; on July 7, he said that FRETILIN would do so if it could not form a coalition with other parties. However, he subsequently expressed interest in a government of national unity and said that FRETILIN's doors were "open for all parties, including CNRT".
On July 16, 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. 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. On July 24, he said that the parties had "not yet reached agreement on a new government", but that his July 25 deadline for the parties to reach an agreement was "flexible". 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.
Parliament was sworn in for its new term on July 30, although the new government and prime minister were still undecided. Araújo was elected speaker of parliament at the new parliament's first session.
Alkatiri said on August 1 that he would be FRETILIN's candidate for prime minister, while criticizing Gusmão's record as president. Ramos-Horta delayed his deadline for forming a government until August 3. 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".
On August 3, Ramos-Horta said that he would ask the CNRT-led coalition to form a government on August 6, 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. FRETILIN threatened to boycott parliament.
Ramos-Horta announced on August 6 that the CNRT-led coalition would form the government and that Gusmão would become Prime Minister. FRETILIN denounced Ramos-Horta's decision as unconstitutional, and angry FRETILIN supporters in Dili
Dili
Dili, spelled Díli in Portuguese, is the capital, largest city, chief port and commercial centre of East Timor.-Geography and Administration:Dili lies on the northern coast of Timor island, the easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands....
immediately reacted to Ramos-Horta's announcement with violent protests. On August 7, Alkatiri said that the party would fight the decision through legal means.
Gusmão was sworn in at the presidential palace in Dili
Dili
Dili, spelled Díli in Portuguese, is the capital, largest city, chief port and commercial centre of East Timor.-Geography and Administration:Dili lies on the northern coast of Timor island, the easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands....
on August 8; most of his government was also sworn in on the same day. José Luís Guterres
José Luís Guterres
José Luís Guterres is a East Timorese politician and diplomat.-Career:Guterres was a member of the Central Committee of the former ruling party Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor. He served as the ambassador of the unrecognized East Timor government to Angola, Mozambique and the...
, the leader of a dissident FRETILIN faction, became Deputy Prime Minister.
Aftermath
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. In Baucau, police said that over 50 people had been arrested for arsonArson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
.
Alkatiri said that FRETILIN would urge the people to protest and practice civil disobedience
Civil disobedience
Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal to obey certain laws, demands, and commands of a government, or of an occupying international power. Civil disobedience is commonly, though not always, defined as being nonviolent resistance. It is one form of civil resistance...
. 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". Arsenio Bano
Arsénio Bano
Arsénio Paixão Bano is an East Timorese politician and the Vice-President of the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor , a post to which he was elected by the party's Central Committee in July 2007...
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.
On August 10, 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. On August 11, 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.
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. After initially boycotting parliament, the FRETILIN members began attending later in August. Gusmão has reportedly offered FRETILIN positions in the government though this probably refers to the ex-Fretilin members such as José Luís Guterres.
On August 23, violence occurred in several places, including Dili, and two people were reported killed in Ermera
Ermera
Ermera is one of the districts of East Timor, located in the west-central part of the country. It has a population of 103,169 and an area of 746 km2. Its capital is Gleno, which is located 30 km to the southwest of the national capital, Dili...
. In Metinaro
Metinaro
Metinaro is a city in Dili District, East Timor. The coast has a wonderful diving area with a colourful world of animals.Metinaro is also the home of the East Timor's 1st Battalion F-FDTL . Located at the Metinaro Barracks is also the Recruit Training Centre and the Defence Force School of Languages...
, near Dili, there was fighting in the streets with machete
Machete
The machete is a large cleaver-like cutting tool. The blade is typically long and usually under thick. In the English language, an equivalent term is matchet, though it is less commonly known...
s and other weapons; at least ten houses were reportedly burned and the town's market was destroyed.
Results
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 Maioria de Parlamentar, in Portuguese) to take over the parliament and government.