Duty to country: Electoral workers assist a man in a wheelchair to cast his ballot at a polling station in Dili, Timor-Leste. — AP
Voters in Timor-Leste flocked to polling stations to cast their ballot in parliamentary elections, hoping for an end to years of political deadlock in Asia’s youngest country.
This is the fifth parliamentary poll since Timor-Leste gained independence from Indonesia in 2002 after a 24-year occupation, with 65 national lawmakers to be elected to a five-year mandate.
As polling stations opened at 7am local time, voters formed long queues, carrying umbrellas for shade as they patiently waited their turn.
“All people came to give their voices, because one voice can make a change,” said 61-year-old voter Cesar dos Santos de Carvalho at a polling station in the capital Dili.
“I hope the political party that I chose can put attention on health, education, infrastructure and agriculture, because these are the priority sectors that all people need.”
The young democracy has 890,000 registered voters, and a total of 17 parties are vying for seats, but the election is expected to mainly be a showdown between the two largest.
The Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor, also known as Fretilin, leads the coalition currently in power, while the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT) is hoping to make a comeback.
CNRT is led by Xanana Gusmao, the country’s first president until 2007, while Fretilin’s leader is former prime minister Mari Alkatiri.
Both are considered independence-era icons and are veterans of Timor-Leste politics, but they have been locked in a bitter feud for decades.
Younger voters make up a large part of the electorate in the country of 1.3 million people, 65% of whom are under 30.
“I voted for CNRT. I support Xanana (Gusmao). He is ... an influential character that leads with responsibility. He has integrity and loves this country,” said 27-year-old student Renaldo de Andrade.
Timor-Leste is struggling with poverty, the aftermath of the pandemic and devastating natural disasters, including a 2021 cyclone that killed 40 people. — AFP
