East Timorese presidential election, 2002

East Timorese presidential election, 2002

14 April 2002

Candidate Xanana Gusmão Francisco Xavier do Amaral Party Independent ASDT Popular vote 301,634 63,146 Percentage 82.69% 17.31%

Elected President Xanana Gusmão Independent

The first Presidential election was held in East Timor on 14 April 2002.^[1] 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. ^[2]

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.

Results

 Summary of the 14 April 2002 East Timor presidential election results

Candidates - parties	Votes	%
Xanana Gusmão	301,634	82.69
Francisco Xavier do Amaral	63,146	17.31
Total (turnout 86%)	364,780	100.00
Source: ARD-Text

References

1. "UN sets East Timor election date". BBC News. 17 January 2002. Retrieved 1 July 2007.
2. "East Timor has elected its first president, paving the way for it to become the world's newest country on 20 May". BBC News. 19 April 2002. Retrieved 1 July 2007.