Politics of East Timor
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This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Timor Leste |
Politics of East Timor takes place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic,[1][2] whereby the Prime Minister of East Timor is the head of government and the President of East Timor exercises the functions of head of state. East Timor has a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the president and the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Parliament. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. The East Timorese constitution was modelled on that of Portugal, though the president is less powerful than his Portuguese counterpart.[1] The country is still in the process of building its administration and governmental institutions.
Executive branch
![](../I/m/Gouverneurspalast_klein.jpg)
The head of state of the East Timorese republic is the President, who is directly elected by popular vote for a five-year term and whose executive powers are somewhat limited by the constitution, though he or she is able to veto legislation, which can be overridden by the parliament. Following elections, the president usually appoints as the prime minister, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition. As head of government the prime minister presides over the cabinet.
Office | Name | Party | Since |
---|---|---|---|
President | Taur Matan Ruak | Independent | 20 May 2012 |
Prime Minister | Rui Maria de Araújo | Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor | 16 February 2015 |
Legislative branch
![](../I/m/East_timor_parliament-davidrobie.jpg)
The unicameral Timorese National Parliament (Parlamento Nacional) has 65 members elected by proportional representation (d'Hondt method) for a five-year term. The number of seats can vary from a minimum of 52 to a maximum of 65, though it exceptionally had 88 members during its first term which also exceptionally lasted six years – from 2001 to 2007 – this was because the constitution provided that the 88-member Constitutional Assembly would become the first parliament after the constitution entered into force in 2002.
The East Timorese constitution was modelled on that of Portugal. The country is still in the process of building its administration and governmental institutions.
Political parties and elections
![](../I/m/ET_parliament2012.jpg)
Candidates | Parties | 1st round | 2nd round | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | % | Votes | % | ||
Taur Matan Ruak | Independent (supported by CNRT) | 119,462 | 25.71 | 275,471 | 61.23 |
Francisco Guterres | FRETILIN | 133,635 | 28.76 | 174,408 | 38.77 |
José Ramos-Horta | Independent | 81,231 | 17.48 | ||
Fernando de Araújo | Democratic Party | 80,381 | 17.30 | ||
Rogério Lobato | Independent, member of FRETILIN | 16,219 | 3.49 | ||
José Luís Guterres | Frenti-Mudança | 9,235 | 1.99 | ||
Manuel Tilman | KOTA | 7,226 | 1.56 | ||
Abílio Araújo | PNT | 6,294 | 1.35 | ||
Lucas da Costa | Independent, member of Democratic Party | 3,862 | 0.83 | ||
Francisco Gomes | PLPA | 3,531 | 0.76 | ||
María do Céu | Independent | 1,843 | 0.40 | ||
Angelita Pires | Independent | 1,742 | 0.37 | ||
Valid votes | 464,661 | 94.84 | 449,879 | 98.08 | |
Invalid votes | 18,788 | 3.83 | 6,801 | 1.48 | |
Blank votes | 6,484 | 1.32 | 2,023 | 0.44 | |
Total votes (turnout 78.20%/73.12%) | 489,933 | 100.00 | 458,703 | 100.00 | |
Source: CNE, CNE |
Parties | Votes | % | Seats |
---|---|---|---|
Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (Frente Revolucionária do Timor-Leste Independente) | 120,592 | 29.02 | 21 |
National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (Congresso Nacional da Reconstrução Timorense) | 100,175 | 24.10 | 18 |
PSD–ASDT
|
65,358 | 15.73 | 11 |
Democratic Party (Partido Democrático) | 46,946 | 11.30 | 8 |
National Unity Party (Partido Unidade Nacional) | 18,896 | 4.55 | 3 |
Democratic Alliance (Aliança Democratica)
|
13,294 | 3.20 | 2 |
National Unity of Timorese Resistance (União Nacional Democrática de Resistência Timorense) | 13,247 | 3.19 | 2 |
Timorese Nationalist Party (Partido Nasionalista Timorense) | 10,057 | 2.42 | 0 |
Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste Party (Partido Democratika Republica de Timor) | 7,718 | 1.86 | 0 |
Republican Party (Partidu Republikanu) | 4,408 | 1.06 | 0 |
Christian Democratic Party (Partido Democrata Cristão) | 4,300 | 1.03 | 0 |
Socialist Party of Timor (Partido Socialista de Timor) | 3,982 | 0.96 | 0 |
Timorese Democratic Union (União Democrática Timorense) | 3,753 | 0.90 | 0 |
Millennium Democratic Party (Partido Milénio Democrático) | 2,878 | 0.69 | 0 |
Total (turnout 80.5%) | 415,604 | 100.00 | 65 |
Source: CNE |
Judicial branch
The Supreme Court of Justice has one judge appointed by the National Parliament and the rest appointed by the Superior Council for the Judiciary.
Administrative divisions
![](../I/m/East_Timor_municipalities_numbers.png)
East Timor is divided into thirteen administrative districts:
1. Lautém |
6. Aileu |
10. Ainaro |
The districts are subdivided into 65 subdistricts, 443 sucos and 2,336 towns, villages and hamlets. "". External link in |title=
(help); (213 KiB)
Cabinet
- Arajuo (2015–present)[3]
Minister | Name |
---|---|
Prime Minister | Rui Maria de Araújo |
Minister of State | Hermenegildo Ágio Pereira |
Fernando La Sama de Araújo (Coordinating Minister of Social) | |
Estanislau da Conceição Aleixo Maria da Silva (Coordinating Minister of Economy) | |
Dionísio da Costa Babo Soares (Coordinating Minister of State Administration Affairs and Justice) | |
Presidency of the Council of Ministers | Hermenegildo Ágio Pereira |
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation | Hernâni Coelho |
Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation | Roberto Sarmento de Oliveira Soares |
Minister of Defence | Cirilio José Cristóvão |
Vice-Minister of Defence | N/A |
Minister of Interior | Longuinhos Monteiro |
Vice-Minister of Interior | N/A |
Minister of Finance | Santina J. F. V. Cardoso |
Vice-Minister of Finance | Hélder Lopes |
Minister of Justice | Ivo Jorge Valente |
Vice-Minister of Justice | N/A |
Minister of Health | Maria do Céu Sarmento Pina da Costa |
Vice-Minister for Health | Ana Isabel Soares |
Minister of Education | Fernando La Sama de Araújo |
Vice-Minister of Education I | Dulce de Jesus Soares |
Vice-Minister of Education II | Abel da Costa Freitas Ximenes |
Minister of State Administration | Dionísio da Costa Babo Soares |
Vice-Minister of State Administration | Tomás do Rosário Cabral |
Minister of Commerce, Industry and Environment | António da Conceição |
Vice-Minister of Commerce, Industry and Environment | Constâncio da Conceição Pinto |
Minister of Social Solidarity | Isabel Amaral Guterres |
Vice-Minister of Social Solidarity | Miguel Marques Gonçalves Manetelu |
Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communications | Gastão Francisco de Sousa |
Vice-Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communications I | Januário da Costa Pereira |
Vice-Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communications II | Inácio Moreira |
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries | Estanislau da Conceição Aleixo Maria da Silva |
Vice-Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries | Marcos da Cruz |
Minister of Tourism, Art and Culture | Francisco Kalbuadi Lay |
Vice-Minister of Tourism, Art and Culture | N/A |
Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources | Alfredo Pires |
Vice-Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources | N/A |
Minister of Planning and Strategic Investment | Xanana Gusmão |
Vice-Minister of Planning and Strategic Investment | N/A |
- Gusmão II (2012-2015)[4]
Minister | Name |
---|---|
Prime Minister | Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão |
Vice Prime Minister | Fernando La Sama de Araújo |
Minister of State | Agio Pereira |
José Luís Guterres | |
Presidency of the Council of Ministers | Agio Pereira |
Minister of Coordinator of Social Affairs | Fernando La Sama de Araújo |
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation | José Luís Guterres |
Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation | Constâncio da Conceição Pinto |
Minister of Defence and Security | Xanana Gusmão |
Vice-Minister of Defence and Security | N/A |
Minister of Finance | Emilia Pires |
Vice-Minister of Finance | Santina Cardoso |
Minister of Justice | Dionísio Babo Soares |
Vice-Minister of Justice | Ivo Jorge Valente |
Minister of Health | Sérgio Lobo |
Vice-Minister for Ethics and Service Delivery | Natália de Araújo |
Vice-Minister for Management, Support and Resources | Maria do Céu da Costa |
Minister of Education | Bendito Freitas |
Vice-Minister of Basic/Primary Education | Dulce de Jesus Soares |
Vice-Minister of Secondary Education | Virgílio Simith |
Vice-Minister of Higher Education | Marçal Avelino Ximenes |
Minister of State Administration | Jorge Teme |
Vice-Minister of State Administration | N/A |
Minister of Commerce, Industry and Environment | António da Conceição |
Vice-Minister of Commerce, Industry and Environment | Abel da Costa Ximenes |
Minister of Social Solidarity | Isabel Guterres |
Vice-Minister of Social Solidarity | Jacinto Rigoberto de Deus |
Minister of Public Works | Gastão Francisco de Sousa |
Vice-Minister of Public Works | N/A |
Minister of Transport and Communications | Pedro Lay |
Vice-Minister of Transport and Communications | Flávio Cardoso Neves |
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries | Mariano Assanami Sabino |
Vice-Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries | Marcos da Cruz |
Minister of Tourism | Francisco Kalbuadi Lay |
Vice-Minister of Tourism | N/A |
Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources | Alfredo Pires |
Vice-Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources | N/A |
- Gusmão I (2007-2012)[5]
Minister | Name |
---|---|
Prime Minister | Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão |
Vice Prime Minister | José Luís Guterres (Social Affairs) |
? (Management and State Administration) | |
Minister of Defence and Security | Xanana Gusmão |
Vice-Minister of Defence and Security | N/A |
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation | Zacarias da Costa |
Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation | N/A |
Minister of Finance | Emília Pires |
Vice-Minister of Finance | Rui Manuel Hajam |
Minister of Justice | Lúcia Lobato |
Vice-Minister of Justice | N/A |
Minister of Health | Nelson Martins |
Vice-Minister of Health | Madalena Hajam Soares |
Minister of Education | João Câncio Freitas |
Vice-Minister of Education | Paulo Assis Belo |
Minister of Internal Administration | Arcângelo Leite |
Vice-Minister of Internal Administration | N/A |
Minister of Economy and Development | João Gonçalves |
Vice-Minister of Economy and Development | Cristiano da Costa |
Minister of Social Solidarity | Maria Domingas Alves |
Vice-Minister of Social Solidarity | N/A |
Minister of Public Works | Gastão Francisco de Sousa |
Vice-Minister of Public Works | N/A |
Minister of Infrastructure | Pedro Lay |
Vice-Minister of Infrastructure | José Manuel Carrascalão |
Minister of Transport, Communications and Public Works | Ovidio D. J. Amaral |
Vice-Minister of Transport, Communications and Public Works | N/A |
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries | Mariano Assanami Sabino |
Vice-Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries | N/A |
Minister of Tourism, Commerce and Industry | Gil Alves |
Vice-Minister of Tourism, Commerce and Industry | N/A |
- Alkatiri (2002-2007)[6]
Minister | Name |
---|---|
Prime Minister | Marí Bim Amude Alkatiri |
Vice Prime Minister | N/A |
Minister of State | Anna Pessoa Pinto |
Jose Ramos Horta | |
Vice-Minister of State | Olimpio Branco |
Presidency of the Council of Ministers | Anna Pessoa Pinto |
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation | Jose Ramos Horta |
Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation | Olimpio Branco |
Minister of Internal Affairs | Rogerio Tiago Lobato |
Vice-Minister of Internal Affairs | Alcino Baris |
Minister of Planning and Finance | Maria M. B. Boavida |
Vice-Minister of Planning and Finance | Aicha Bassarewan |
Minister of Justice | Domingos Maria Sarmento |
Vice-Minister of Justice | Manuel Abrantes |
Minister of Health | Rui Maria de Araujo |
Vice-Minister of Health | Luis Maria Lobato |
Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports | Armindo Maia |
Vice-Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports | Rosaria Corte-Real |
Minister of Internal Administration | Anna Pessoa Pinto |
Vice-Minister of Internal Administration | IIda M. da Conceicao |
Minister of Development and Environment | ? |
Vice-Minister of Development and Environment | Abel Da C. F. Ximenes |
Minister of Transport, Communications and Public Works | Ovidio D. J. Amaral |
Vice-Minister of Transport, Communications and Public Works | Arq Cesar V. Moreira |
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries | Estanislau A. da Silva |
Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries | F. De Sa Benevides |
External links
References
- 1 2 Neto, Octávio Amorim; Lobo, Marina Costa (2010). "Between Constitutional Diffusion and Local Politics: Semi-Presidentialism in Portuguese-Speaking Countries". Social Science Research Network. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
- ↑ Shoesmith, Dennis (March–April 2003). "Timor-Leste: Divided Leadership in a Semi-Presidential System" (PDF). Asian Survey. University of California Press. 43 (2): 231–252. doi:10.1525/as.2003.43.2.231. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
- ↑ Arajuo
- ↑ Gusmão II
- ↑ Gusmão I
- ↑ Alkatiri