The 72-year-old secured 62.09% of the votes, against incumbent President Francisco Guterres’ 37.91%, according to data from the National Elections Board.

“The count of the district, national and regional vote has been completed”, said Acilino Manuel Branco, general director of the election secretariat.

The election results were still needing to be validated by Timor-Leste’s electoral commission.

The victory gives Ramos-Horta his second term in office. He served as president of from 2007 to 2012 and was also its first prime minister after independence.

Domenec Ruiz Deveza, a European Election observer, described the presidential race as “competitive, and the campaign was largely peaceful.”

Ramos-Horta will be inaugurated on 20 May, the 20th anniversary of Timor-Leste’s independence from Indonesia.

He has campaigned on unity, promising to his term to break a longstanding stalemate between the countries two main political parties. He also indicated he might dissolve national parliament if he won the election.

A press release from the Portuguese president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, said he called Ramos-Horta on Wednesday to convey “the warmest congratulations on the election as president of the Republic of Timor-Leste”.

More than 75% of eligible voters turned up to cast their ballots in the second round.

With the Guardian.