Ryan Dagur, Jakarta – Authorities in Timor-Leste have officially named 16 candidates to contest March's presidential election in what promises to be the most competitive poll in the Catholic-majority country's history.

The draw for candidate numbers was held on Feb. 17 presided over by the president of the Court of Appeal, Deolindo dos Santos, who was responsible for ratifying the candidates.

The event was witnessed by the candidates and their representatives, Electoral Commission officials and several international observers, including from the European Union.

"I would like to congratulate the candidates and wish them good luck with their electoral campaign," said Santos.

This election will have the highest number of candidates ever, surpassing the 12 who contested the 2012 election.

It will also have the most female participants with four. They are Angela Freitas, president of the Labor Party; Armanda Berta dos Santos, leader of the Kmanek Haburas Unidade National Timor Oan (KHUNTO) party; Isabel Ferreira, wife of current Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak; and Milena Pires, a women's rights activist and Timor-Leste's former permanent representative to the United Nations.

The pact will remind candidates to prioritize peace, teach supporters to love one another and avoid insults in campaigning because all the people of Timor-Leste want to live in harmony

The election marks the political debut of 12 candidates who are contesting for the first time, including Martinho Germano da Silva Gusmao, a former Catholic priest.

Political stalwarts such as the current president, Francisco "Lu-Olo" Guterres, and former president Jose Ramos-Horta, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, are also running.

The first round of the election takes place on March 19 and the second round on April 19 if no candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote in the first round.

Jose Belo, chairman of the General Election Commission, said that before starting the campaign on March 2-15, the candidates would sign a national unity pact.

"We want a presidential election without discrimination from any party. Therefore, the pact will remind candidates to prioritize peace, teach supporters to love one another and avoid insults in campaigning because all the people of Timor-Leste want to live in harmony," he said.

Gusmao, whose priesthood was revoked by the Vatican in November last year, said he had strong hopes of getting enough support, especially from educators and students, despite the stiff competition.

Gusmao, who has the support of the small United Party for Development and Democracy (PUDD), told UCA News he has many volunteers working to make his candidacy a success.

"They are mostly former seminarians and their families as well as priests who are former students of mine. There are a number of people from other parties who are very supportive of my candidacy," said the former lecturer at the Catholic-run School of Philosophy and Theology in Dili.

Source: https://www.ucanews.com/news/16-candidates-to-fight-for-presidency-in-timor-leste/96166