Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao said today that the resignation of his deputy, whose party threatened to withdraw from the ruling coalition, will not lead to the collapse of East Timor's government.

One of East Timor’s deputy prime ministers said he resigned after prime minister Xanana Gusmao publicly called him a “liar” for his outspoken critiques of the government’s failure to tackle corruption and improve people’s lives.

Election officials today began counting votes from East Timor’s first presidential election, as political leaders predicted a landslide victory for former resistance leader Xanana Gusmao.