Elections in Timor-Leste III

Two weeks ago, East Timor went to the polls in the first presidential elections since independence. The results were delayed due to problems with the count, and then by an appeal by the unsuccessful candidates, but the courts have confirmed the poll, and we finally have a result. Fretilin candidate Francisco Guterres will face off with current Prime Minister José Ramos Horta in the run-off next month. The opposition have united behind Ramos Horta, and if they bother to turn out to vote, he seems almost certain to win. Meanwhile, hopefully the Timorese will have learned from the election and try to fix some of the more obvious problems with the process before the Parliamentary elections in June.