Presidential candidate Francisco Guterres votes at a polling station in Dili, East Timor.
AP: KANDHI BARNEZ
A Timorese lawyer who helped draft Timor Leste's constitution says the way this week's presidential election ran demonstrates the country is growing as a nation.
It was the first election conducted by the Timorese without any direct assistance from the international community.
Former guerilla fighter Francisco 'Lu-Olo' Guterres, from the political party Fretelin, will be Timor Leste's next president, according to preliminary results.
Mr Guterres secured more than 57 per cent of the vote, while his main rival, Antonio da Conceicao, received a 32 per cent share.
A candidate needs more than 50 per cent to win in one round.
Aderito Soares, a former member of the Constituent Assembly, said the people of Timor Leste should be proud of their progress.
"I think the Timorese really deserve a big congratulations for their maturity," he told the ABC's Pacific Beat.
"I think they showed a maturity to exercise their political rights by casting their votes on the 20th and it went very peacefully … I'm very happy to see that."
The election commission is expected to confirm the results, which will be verified by a court.
