yan ▁law ; ▁the ▁president ial ▁election ▁winner ▁needed ▁to ▁also ▁win ▁a ▁parliament ary ▁seat ▁to ▁be ▁named ▁president . ▁ ▁National ▁Assembly ▁The ▁nin th ▁parliament ▁was ▁dissol ved ▁on ▁Monday ▁ 2 2 ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁with ▁the ▁election ▁date ▁of ▁ 2 7 ▁December ▁announced ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁by ▁the ▁E CK . ▁The ▁E CK ▁initially ▁set ▁a ▁dead line ▁of ▁ 1 9 ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁for ▁subm itting ▁the ▁candidate ▁lists ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁prevent ▁candidates ▁from ▁defect ing ▁after ▁failing ▁to ▁gain ▁nomin ations ▁from ▁their ▁parties , ▁but ▁later ▁ret ract ed ▁and ▁allowed ▁defe ctions ▁to ▁minor ▁parties . ▁The ▁O DM , ▁P NU ▁and ▁O DM – K ▁held ▁their ▁primary ▁elections ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁November , ▁with ▁all ▁three ▁term ed ▁as ▁cha otic ▁and ▁being ▁mar red ▁by ▁irregular ities ▁and ▁violence . ▁N umer ous ▁candidates ▁defect ed ▁to ▁smaller ▁parties ▁after ▁failing ▁to ▁get ▁candid ature ▁by ▁their ▁respective ▁parties , ▁including ▁Nobel ▁la ure ate ▁Wang ari ▁Ma ath ai , ▁who ▁failed ▁to ▁gain ▁a ▁P NU ▁nom ination , ▁and ▁former ▁Inter ior ▁Minister ▁Chris ▁Mur ung aru , ▁who ▁lost ▁out ▁to ▁a ▁little - known ▁tr ader . ▁ ▁There ▁were ▁ 1 4 , 2 9 6 , 1 8 0 ▁registered ▁vot ers ; ▁ 6 8 . 8 % ▁of ▁the ▁elect or ate