EAST TIMOR: Political parties hold campaigns ahead of parliament election

Record ID: 346593

  • Title: EAST TIMOR: Political parties hold campaigns ahead of parliament election
  • Date: 4th July 2012
  • Summary: DILI, EAST TIMOR (JULY 1, 2012) (REUTERS) CROWD DURING RALLY FROM NATIONAL CONGRESS FOR TIMORESE RECONSTRUCTION (CNRT) PARTY EAST TIMOR YOUTH WITH CHEST PAINTING READING "X-A-N-A-N-A" VARIOUS OF INCUMBENT PRIME MINISTER OF EAST TIMOR XANANA GUSMAO ADDRESSING CROWD ON STAGE CROWD AT CNRT PARTY CAMPAIGN GUSMAO WEARING TRADITIONAL SHAWL AND HAT GIVEN BY HIS SUPPORTERS LEAVING THE CAMPAIGN AREA DILI, EAST TIMOR (JULY 4, 2012) (REUTERS) POLITICAL ANALYST MATIAS FREITAS BOAVIDA WALKING INTO HIS OFFICE BOAVIDA SITTING AT HIS OFFICE BOAVIDA'S HAND BOAVIDA'S FACE
  • Embargoed: 19th July 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Timor-Leste
  • Country: Timor-Leste
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA8FL0MZ53XS2X9FDGM7V8RWP9E
  • Story Text: Political parties in East Timor held campaign rallies on the last days of campaign session ahead of parliamentary elections slated for this weekend.
    Twenty-one political parties compete in a final effort to win 65 seats in parliament.
    Hundreds of members of the ruling National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT) party gathered for the last major election rally in Dili on Sunday (July 1), dancing and cheering as their leader, incumbent Prime Minister, Xanana Gusmao made his campaign speech.
    Analysts said the two parties in the lead going head-to-head are FRETILIN AND CNRT.
    "There are two big political parties who have become like winners after this parliamentary election, they are Fretilin and CNRT," said Matias Freitas Boavia, an analyst from National University of Timor Leste.
    The Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (FRETILIN) is a leftist political party in East Timor lead by Mari Alkatiri, former Prime Minister from 2002-2006.
    He said the challenges that new government faces have been existing problems.
    "First one is how the next government will reduce the poverty in East Timor, second one is the government will face the increasing number of unemployment every year, third one is the education system must be resetting up again, forth one is infrastructure for East Timor is a most important," said Boavia.
    Some voters said they have high hopes for the new government.
    "I hope the new government could lead this country to a better condition and know exactly what the East Timorese need," said Karolina Soares, a 29-year-old house wife.
    Others said they hope the government can control inflation in the country.
    "The new government must control the market. We are under free market pricing now and the government cannot control it, the prices keep going up," said businessman Filomeno da Concecao Pinto.
    East Timor voted to break away from Indonesian rule in 1999 and, after a period of United Nations administration, it became independent in 2002.
    The former Portuguese colony is one of the world's poorest countries, but has rich energy resources that are only starting to be developed.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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