18 March 2012

Fretilin's Lu Olo surges past Taur Matan Rauk in 2012 Presidential vote


East Timor Legal News 18/03/2012 - Provisional official results in the Timor-Leste presidential election for 2012 released by the Director of the State Secretariat for Electoral Administration shows that the Fretilin candidate Lu Olo has surged past nearest rival and initial favourite former Defence Force chief Taur Matan Ruak.

The provisional results compiled from all of East Timor's 13 Districts at at midday local time 18/03/2012 have Lu Olo with a strong lead of 90,858 or 27.62% of the total counted vote.

In second place is Taur Matan Ruak with 79,720 (24.23%) and incumbent Jose Ramos  Horta on 62,932 or19.13%.

The Democratic Party candidate, Lasama, is in fourth place with 58,502 (17.78%) of the votes.

According to the Electoral Commission release, 328.846 valid votes, 13.031 void votes and 4.842 blank votes have now been counted.

It is a strong turn-out for the Fretilin candidate and is a sign of things to come in the upcoming Parliamentary elections later this year with Fretilin expecting to regain government after losing it after the 2006 crisis.

However, if neither of the leading candidates achieves 50%, there will be second round to determine the Presidency.

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