East Timorese presidential election, 2002
Encyclopedia
The first Presidential election was held in East Timor
on 14 April 2002. As expected, the former president of the East Timorese resistance movement, Conselho Nacional da Resistencia Timorense, Xanana Gusmão
, running as an independent candidate but with the unofficial support of small opposition parties like the Democratic Party, won a large majority.
Gusmão only had one challenger, former FRETILIN president Francisco Xavier do Amaral
, who had been sworn in as president when East Timor declared independence on 28 November 1975, though his term was short-lived as Indonesia invaded on 5 December. Do Amaral, now head of a new party, the ASDT, had admitted that he fully expected to lose to Gusmão, but felt that running was symbolically important, demonstrating the strength of East Timor's democracy by ensuring that Gusmão had competition in the race.
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
on 14 April 2002. As expected, the former president of the East Timorese resistance movement, Conselho Nacional da Resistencia Timorense, Xanana Gusmão
Xanana Gusmão
Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão GCL is a former militant who was the first President of East Timor, serving from May 2002 to May 2007...
, running as an independent candidate but with the unofficial support of small opposition parties like the Democratic Party, won a large majority.
Gusmão only had one challenger, former FRETILIN president Francisco Xavier do Amaral
Francisco Xavier do Amaral
Francisco Xavier do Amaral is an East Timorese politician. A founder of the Frente Revolucionaria de Timor Leste Independente , he was sworn in as President when the country, then a Portuguese colony, made a unilateral declaration of independence on November 28, 1975...
, who had been sworn in as president when East Timor declared independence on 28 November 1975, though his term was short-lived as Indonesia invaded on 5 December. Do Amaral, now head of a new party, the ASDT, had admitted that he fully expected to lose to Gusmão, but felt that running was symbolically important, demonstrating the strength of East Timor's democracy by ensuring that Gusmão had competition in the race.