Bahasa Indonesia Headlines ­ Wednesday 19 September 2001

Amaral-Arlindo chosen to be Constituent Assembly Vice-Presidents

front page headline

The President of ASDT, Francisco Xavier do Amaral, and Secretary-General of the Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Arlindo Marcal, were chosen yesterday to be vice-presidents of the Constituent Assembly. On Monday, Fretilin’s Francisco Guterres alias Lu-Olo was chosen as the Assembly’s President.

With ASDT and PDC holding on the vice-presidency, chances are almost zero for the second and third winners of the election ­ PD and PSD ­ to hold any position in the Constituent Assembly.

Criticism was levied at the way the vice-presidents were chosen.

There were claims that the election was carried out without any proper procedure.

“If there were proper procedures, the candidates for president and vice-president would be in one package. Because there weren’t any procedures in place, the whole thing was split up,” said a Constituent Assembly member who did not want to be named.

The vice-president of PSD Leandro Issac said opportunities were now closed for women Constituent Assembly members to occupy the vice-president’s post.

See also:
BD: Peoples' Participation / Partisipasaun Politika / Partisipasi Politik / Participação Dos Povos - A collection of recent media releases, reports and articles