The National Electoral Commission in Somaliland said on Sunday that two opposition parties in Somalia’s breakaway region won a majority of seats in the region’s first parliamentary election in 16 years.

Out of parliament’s 82 seats, the Somaliland National Party, called WADDANI, won 31 and the Justice and Welfare Party (UCID), won 21 seats. The ruling Unity and Development Party, Kulmiye, secured 30 seats, the electoral commission said.

The vote had been halted for a decade by a dispute among the three major parties over the make up of the electoral commission, which was finally resolved.

“Following the announcement of the election results, we have announced a political alliance to get the speaker of the Somaliland parliament,” WADDANI and UCID said in a joint statement, suggesting they would appoint a speaker together.

None of the 13 women who ran for parliament won their races.

Politicians in the region had described the poll as an example of the relative stability of Somaliland, which broke away from Somalia in 1991 but has not gained widespread international recognition for its independence.