East Timor’s opposition party wins most seats in parliamentary election

By GANTRY MEILANA
Associated Press

DILI, East Timor (AP) — The National Elections Commission says East Timor’s opposition party has won Sunday’s parliamentary election. The result means independence fighter Xanana Gusmao is likely to return as prime minister in Asia’s youngest democracy. The figures released Tuesday show Gusmao’s National Congress of the Reconstruction of East Timor won 41% of the votes and 31 of the 65 seats. The ruling Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor, or Fretilin, had 25% and 19 seats. It promised to accept the election outcome. East Timor’s transition to a democracy has been rocky, with leaders battling massive poverty, unemployment and corruption as the country continues to struggle with the legacy of its bloody independence battle and bitter factional politics.