Polling stations have closed in Timor-Leste and ballots have started to be counted to see who will be elected president and run the country for the next five years.
Five international polling stations and thousands across the south-east Asian country opened on Saturday morning for the close to 860,000 eligible voters to have their say.
This year marks the largest number of candidates to ever take part in Timor-Leste's democratic process, and a much younger voting pool could see a dynamic shift in the political landscape.
Voting centres were calm after the campaign storm, which lasted two weeks, but quickly turned into a frantic scramble for reporters clamouring to get a comment from incumbent leader Francisco 'Lu’Olo' Guterres.
The former guerrilla leader spoke to SBS News in an exclusive interview this week, but has remained otherwise out of the media spotlight.
Mr Guterres told reporters in Tetun today he hopes to be re-elected for a second term.
"I have already declared both in the campaign and in the debate that I will vote to maintain the stability of Timor-Leste," he said.
"I hope to sustainably develop the country and give our people a better life."
Mr Guterres is competing for his old job against 16 other candidates, including an old opponent and former president Jose Ramos-Horta.
This year the National Congress of the Reconstruction of East Timor (CNRT) is supporting Mr Ramos-Horta.
But in an interview with SBS News earlier in the week, he said his return to the competition was motivated by the support of the people of Timor-Leste.
"I’m not relying on only CNRT’s support. There is a vast network of tens of thousands of people around the country who for the past two years have been pushing me to run,” he said.
"And if I become president, I will do what I can with government to improve the lives of the people."
Former president José Ramos-Horta Source: SBS News
"I want the winner to make change for the country’s future in education and in health," one voter commented.
"I hope the new president can develop the country better than it is now," said another.
As the founding fathers of the nation, fighting against Indonesia occupation from 1975 to 1999 has earned Jose Ramos-Horta and Francisco ‘Lu’Olo’ Guterres hero status.
"There is still a reverence for the resistance generation," explained Timor Leste political analyst Damien Kingsbury.
Voters pose outside a polling booth in Timor-Leste. Source: SBS News / SBS News/Aneeta Bhole
About 200,000 first time voters have registered this year, many of whom were born after independence.
Funnelling through the 1,500 polling stations set up across the country some told SBS News they’re ready to break free of political norms.
"As a young Timorese man, I am hoping that the next president will prioritise education especially more in human rights," said one young voter.
"It's my first time voting so as a citizen I'm doing my part and hopefully the next president will be more effective."
A woman places her vote in Timor-Leste's presidential election. Source: SBS News / SBS News/Aneeta Bhole
"These are the children of the independence generation if you like and they have aspirations and frustrations which they’d like to express politically," he said.
Each voter left the polling stations with a distinct souvenir, a finger dyed purple, to show that they’d cast their vote.
An absolute majority is essential for a president to be elected in Timor-Leste.
With 16 candidates this year, a run-off election next month could be necessary.
A woman at a polling booth in Timor-Leste shows her finger has been dyed purple to indicate she's cast their vote. Source: SBS News / SBS News/Aneeta Bhole
"This is part of the competition, we have a winner and a loser, but I believe I will win," Mr Guterres said when asked if he is prepared to lose.
But without a clear vision to end economic and social problems faced by the country, younger voters could break with the past and elect a fresh candidate shifting the political paradigm.
