Government & politics — Timor-Leste

• timor" derives from the Indonesian and Malay word "timur" meaning "east"
• "leste" is the Portuguese word for "east", so "Timor-Leste" literally means "Eastern-East"
• the local [Tetum] name "Timor Lorosa'e" translates as "East Rising Sun"

• 20 May 2002 (from Indonesia)
• note - 28 November 1975 was the date independence was proclaimed from Portugal
• 20 May 2002 was the date of international recognition of Timor-Leste's independence from Indonesia

• history: drafted 2001, approved 22 March 2002,
• entered into force 20 May 2002 amendments: proposed by Parliament and parliamentary groups; consideration of amendments requires at least four-fifths majority approval by Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by Parliament and promulgation by the president of the republic; passage of amendments to the republican form of government and the flag requires approval in a referendum

• chief of state: President José RAMOS-HORTA (since 20 May 2022); note - the president is commander in chief of the military and can veto legislation, dissolve parliament,
• and call national elections head of government: Prim
• e Minister Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 1 July 2023) cabinet: Council of Ministers; ministers proposed to the prime minister by the coalition in the Parliament and swo
• rn in by the President of the Republic elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); last election held on 19 March 2022 with a runoff on 19 April 2022 (next to be held in April 2027); following parliamentary elections, the president appoints the leader of the majority party
• or majority coalition as the prime minister election results: 2022: José RAMOS-HORTA elected president in second round - RAMOS-HORTA (CNRT) 62.1%, Francisco GUTERRES (FRETILIN) 37.9% 2017: Francisco GUTERRES elected president; Francisco GUTERRES (FRETILIN) 57.1%, António da CONCEICAO (PD) 32.5%, other 10.4%

Description

unicameral National Parliament (65 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed, party-list proportional representation vote using the D'Hondt method to serve 5-year terms)

Elections

last held on 21 May 2023 (next to be held in May 2028)

Election Results

• percent of vote by party - CNRT 41.5%, FRETILIN 25.8%, PD 9.3%, KHUNTO 7.5%, PLP 6%, other 9.9%
• seats by party - CNRT 31, FRETILIN 19, PD 6, KHUNTO 5, PLP 4;

Composition

men 40, women 25, percentage women 38.5%

• highest court(s): Court of Appeals (consists of the cour
• t president and NA judges) judge selection and term of office: court president appointed by the president of the republic from among the other court judges to serve a 4-year term; other court judges appointed - 1 by the Parliament and the others by the Supreme Council for the Judiciary, a body chaired by the court president and that includes mostly presidential and parliamentary appointees;
• other judges serve for life subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Administrative, Tax, and Audit Court; district courts; magistrates' courts;
• military courts note: the UN Justice System Programme, launched in 2003 and being rolled out in 4 phases through 2018, is helping strengthen the country's justice system; the Programme is aligned with the country's long-range Justice Sector Strategic Plan, which includes legal reforms

• Democratic Party or PD [Mariano Assanami SABINO Lopes]
• National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction or CNRT [Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO]
• National Unity of the Sons of Timor (Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan or KHUNTO) [Armanda BERTA DOS SANTOS]
• People's Liberation Party or PLP [Taur Matan RUAK]
• Revolutionary Front of Independent Timor-Leste or FRETILIN [Franciso GUTERRES]

• no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent
• no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant), Chargé d'Affaires Marc WEINSTOCK (since August 2023) embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Coqueiros, Dili mailing address: 8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250

telephone

(670) 332-4684, (670) 330-2400

FAX

(670) 331-3206

Email address and website

• ConsDili@state.gov
• https://tl.usembassy.gov/

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Antonito DE ARAUJO (since 24 February 2023)

chancery

4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 504, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

[1] (202) 966-3202

FAX

[1] (202) 966-3205

Email address and website

• info@timorlesteembassy.org
• http://www.timorlesteembassy.org/