DILI, Timor-Leste, April 11 (UPI) -- Five candidates in the Timor-Leste presidential election refuse to recognize the outcome of polling, even before the announcement of a likely runoff vote.
With about 70 percent of votes counted after Monday's election, the ruling Fretilin Party's Francisco "Lu Olo" Gueterres has about 28 percent of the vote and Nobel laureate Jose Ramos Horta, the current prime minister who is running as an independent, has about 22 percent, election officials said.
But five of the six other candidates told a news conference they will not recognize the outcome of the poll because of "voting irregularities."
They demanded a recount, although that appeared unlikely to happen, and said they would take their challenge to court before the runoff vote between Gueterres and Ramos Horta, which appears certain to be declared by the electoral commission.
The runoff is necessary if no candidate won a majority of the votes.
