Speaking after a meeting with Timor-Leste’ President, Francisco 'Lú-Olo' Guterres, in the presidential palace on Wednesday, CNRT”s Secretary General Francisco Kalbaudi Lay said coalition plans would be approved at the party’s national conference on 29 July.

 On Sunday Fretilin declared itself the victor of Timor-Leste’s parliamentary election, winning 29.7 percent of the vote. CNRT picked up 29.5 percent, down from 36.7 percent in 2012.

 A coalition government is formed when no political party on its own can achieve a majority in parliament. Since 2012 the two main political parties, CNRT and Fretilin have operated as a unity government, effectively cutting out opposition voice.

 But with new rival opposition parties such the Former president Taur Matan Ruak's Popular Liberation Party (PLP), picking up 10 percent of the votes and a new youth party, Khunto, attracting 6 percent of the vote, opposition voice will be strengthened in parliament.

 On Sunday speaking to loud applause and cheers of "Viva Fretilin'' Fretilin’s secretary-general Mari Alkatiri confirmed he was open to forming a coalition with CNRT.

 The desire to work collaboratively was then further reaffirmed yesterday when Alkatiri said his party wanted to unite the country’s 21 political parties to develop a strong national development roadmap.

“ I will talk to the them to maintain the peace and stability and we will work together to bring the development to the future,’’ he said.

Ruak said his party was ready to act as a strong opposition force.

“Our position is the opposition but our position will be constructive and educative,” Ruak said on Wednesday.

 Nearly two dozen parties contested the election, in which they must win more than 4 percent of the vote to get seats in parliament.

 Results will be official once certified by the country's Court of Appeal, likely later this week.