The results of last November's parliamentary elections in Democratic Republic of Congo have been released, showing no party has a majority.

With 432 of the 500 seats declared, President Joseph Kabila's PPRD party came first with 58 seats, followed by opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi's UDPS with 34.

The BBC's Thomas Hubert in Kinshasa says lengthy negotiations will follow.

Mr Tshisekedi and observer groups have cited widespread fraud in the poll.

Mr Kabila was declared the winner of the presidential election, although Mr Tshisekedi has rejected this and tried to swear himself in as president.

On Thursday, police fired tear gas to disperse opposition supporters who were trying to accompany him to the presidential palace in the capital, Kinshasa.

Our correspondent says the long-awaited announcement of the results is not the end of DR Congo's electoral woes - many candidates are expected to file legal challenges to the results, and the electoral commission has asked the Supreme Court to order a rerun of the polls in seven constituencies where violence disrupted the election and prosecute the candidates involved.

Nearly 100 parties will be represented in the National Assembly, along with many independents, and our reporter says it will take broad alliances to obtain a majority.

In addition to the 58 seats for the PPRD, its allies in the outgoing government gained another 106 seats.

Our correspondent says with recently formed parties known to back the president and his twin sister Jaynet - elected as an independent - Mr Kabila can count on more than 200 MPs but he will have to reach out to micro-parties and independents to reach the 250-vote majority needed to pass any legislation.

Alphonse Awenze Makiaba, who uses his bicyle to transport people and goods in the third city, Kisangani, and campaigned as the candidate of the poor, was also elected.

Many of the remaining 68 seats still to be declared are in Kinshasa, which is seen as an opposition stronghold.

Last November's elections were the first Congolese-organised polls since the end of a devastating war in 2003, which left some four million people dead.

The poll was heavily criticised by foreign observers, the opposition and Catholic bishops - who complained in a statement of "treachery, lies and terror" and called on the election commission to correct "serious errors".

(BBC news)