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Ex-rebels take El Salvador poll | Ex-rebels take El Salvador poll |
(about 5 hours later) | |
El Salvador's former rebel movement has become the country's largest political party, 17 years after signing a peace accord that ended the bitter civil war. | |
But the Farabundo Marti Liberation Front (FMLN) failed to win a majority of parliamentary seats, final results from last week's vote have shown. | But the Farabundo Marti Liberation Front (FMLN) failed to win a majority of parliamentary seats, final results from last week's vote have shown. |
A party spokesman called the result a platform for victory in El Salvador's presidential election in March. | A party spokesman called the result a platform for victory in El Salvador's presidential election in March. |
It is their first such win since the end of the conflict in 1992. | |
Final results from Sunday's parliamentary election gave the FMLN 35 seats against 32 for the governing conservative party Arena, election officials announced. | Final results from Sunday's parliamentary election gave the FMLN 35 seats against 32 for the governing conservative party Arena, election officials announced. |
But conservative parties and their allies can still hold a majority in the 84-seat assembly if they combine forces. | But conservative parties and their allies can still hold a majority in the 84-seat assembly if they combine forces. |
The FMLN has overcome internal divisions and chosen a moderate leader with wide appeal - former television journalist Mauricio Funes, who took no part in the civil war. | The FMLN has overcome internal divisions and chosen a moderate leader with wide appeal - former television journalist Mauricio Funes, who took no part in the civil war. |
But in a significant setback, the FMLN lost the capital for the first time in 12 years. Arena candidate Norman Quijano unseated Salvadoran Mayor Violeta Manjivar of the FMLN. | |
Mr Funes is favoured to win the 15 March presidential elections, but the party needs to convince the public that it can end a growing wave of kidnappings and gang violence. | Mr Funes is favoured to win the 15 March presidential elections, but the party needs to convince the public that it can end a growing wave of kidnappings and gang violence. |
Reinvented party | Reinvented party |
The FMLN was once a formidable guerrilla army that posed a serious threat to El Salvador's American-backed military leaders. | The FMLN was once a formidable guerrilla army that posed a serious threat to El Salvador's American-backed military leaders. |
Formed in 1980, it brought together a number of left-wing rebel groups, and launched a series of offensives from its bases in the countryside over the next decade. | Formed in 1980, it brought together a number of left-wing rebel groups, and launched a series of offensives from its bases in the countryside over the next decade. |
At least 75,000 people were killed in one of the bloodiest of the ideological conflicts that raged across Central America in the 1980s. | At least 75,000 people were killed in one of the bloodiest of the ideological conflicts that raged across Central America in the 1980s. |
The Reagan administration in Washington responded with substantial aid and training for the military as it fought to keep the guerrillas out of El Salvador's major cities. | The Reagan administration in Washington responded with substantial aid and training for the military as it fought to keep the guerrillas out of El Salvador's major cities. |
With the end of the Cold War and stalemate on the battlefield, the FMLN signed a peace agreement in 1992, and reinvented itself as a legitimate political party. | With the end of the Cold War and stalemate on the battlefield, the FMLN signed a peace agreement in 1992, and reinvented itself as a legitimate political party. |
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