unity

The military government has introduced laws punishing those who protest against the election with up to a decade in prison, and new cybercrime laws police the internet for communications that "disrupt unity".

And, in a highly symbolic moment of unity, Asean formally welcomed East Timor as a member.

Israeli financial newspaper Calcalist said that in a bid to shore up its unity, the coalition planned to swiftly pass laws that would give it a better chance of election victory.

But, she insisted, "from the perspective of people, of friendship, of unity, the sense of community, that has been strengthened by what happened."

Zanzibar, which formed a unity government with the mainland in 1964 and elects its own president and legislators, will begin early voting on Tuesday.