Guterres, better known as Lu-Olo, scored 57.32 per cent of votes (his runner-up, Democratic Party nominee Antonio da Conceição ‘Kalohan’, 32.24 per cent of votes), picking up wins in nine of the 13 districts-Aileu, Baucau, Bobonaru, Cova-Lima, Dili, Lautém, Manatuto, Manufahi andViqueque – as well as in Australia and Portugal where Timorese citizens were given their first chance to take part in the presidential vote.
Conceição, won in four districtsof Ainaro, Ermera, Liquiçá and Oecussi-Ambeno.
Official results from national election committee revealed Tuesday, had final vote for the eight candidates at:Francisco Guterres ‘Lu-Olo’, 291.250, 57,32% Antonio da Conceição ‘Kalohan’ 162.824 (32,24%), Jose Luis Guterres(Frenti-Mudance)13.341 (2,43%), Jose Neves(Independet)11.570 (2,25%), Luis Tilman(Independent) (2,17%), Antonio ‘FatukMutin’ (Socialist Party) 8.901 (1,75%), Angela Freitas(Labour Party) 4.210 (0.83%) andAmorin Vieira (Independent) 4.210 (0.83%).
In what was his third attempt at the presidency, the FRETILIN party candidate expressed gratitude to his supporters, promising to be a President for all Timorese people in in an impromptu speech on Tuesday.
“This is the decision from the voters, from the people. Changes will happen in many aspects, and fundamentally, I want to change the people’s condition in health services, education and have a sustainable economy to accelerate national development,” Lu-Olo said.
Although the resistance hero had filled his campaign with promises of action, in reality as Timor-Leste’s first party-affiliated President, Lu-Olo is expected to play a more subdued role in politics than his predecessors Jose Ramos Horta, XananaGusmoa and outgoing President TaurMatanRuak.
Lu-Olo, was backed somewhat controversially by Gusmao’sNational Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT) party, which got behind the new president rather than put up its own candidate.
In the past two presidential elections, Lu-Olohad picked up around 30 per cent of the vote. With the extra support from the CNRT party, which formed a coalition government with once rival opposition party FRETILIN in 2015, these votes were doubled.
Lu-Olo’s runner up, Education Minister Conceicao, who was backed by the two main opposition parties, said he accepted the decision
According to political commentators, Conceição supporters had sought to pitch the presidential race as a referendum on the need to move on from the old resistance mindset and allow a new generation of policy leaders to focus on the serious economic challenges ahead.
Conceição was backed by the Democratic Party (PD) and the People’s Liberation Party (PLP), formed last year by President TaurMatanRuak, who will seek election to the more powerful Prime Minister’s post in July.
The vote- the first presidential election since the departure of United Nations peacekeepers in 2012 - ran smoothly and there were reports of only low-level and sporadic unrest in the run-up.
Lu-Olo’s outright win is the first time the Presidency has been decided in just one round, if the final results due in several days confirm Guterres has won.