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No outright winner after Timorese parliamentary polls – UN

No outright winner after Timorese parliamentary polls – UN

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Timor-Leste’s Court of Appeals has formally proclaimed the results of last month’s national parliamentary elections in the small Asian country, where no single political party has won an absolute majority, a United Nations spokesperson said today.

Five parties and two coalitions have won parliamentary seats in proportion to their share of the vote on 30 June, in line with expectations following preliminary results, according to a statement released today by the spokesperson of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. But no party will have an absolute majority of the 65-seat parliament, where members will serve five-year terms.

The statement said a date for the start of the new parliament has not yet been set and political parties have begun discussions about the formation of a new Government. The parliamentary polls follow elections earlier this year that led to the swearing-in of José Ramos-Horta as President.

Mr. Ban’s spokesperson stressed that the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) is committed to working with the new Government and parliament when they are formed, especially in the areas of democratic governance, the rule of law, security sector reform and social and economic development.

UNMIT, deployed following an outbreak of deadly violence last year, has helped with all aspects of the 2007 electoral processes, including technical and logistical support, electoral policy advice and verification.