Politics of East Timor

Politics of East Timor takes place in a framework of a unitary semi-presidential representative democratic republic,[1][2][3] 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 the Portuguese counterpart.[2] The country is still in the process of building its administration and governmental institutions. The Economist Intelligence Unit rated East Timor a "flawed democracy" in 2019.[4]

East Timor
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Executive branch
Government Palace in Dili

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 this official is able to veto legislation, which action 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.

Main office holders
Office Name Party Since
President Francisco Guterres FRETILIN 20 May 2017
Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak PLP 22 June 2018

Legislative branch
Parliament of East Timor

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
Main articles: List of political parties in East Timor and Elections in East Timor

Presidential elections
Main article: 2017 East Timorese presidential election
Candidate Party Votes %
Francisco GuterresFRETILIN295,04857.1
António da ConceiçãoDemocratic Party167,79432.5
José Luís GuterresFrenti-Mudança13,5132.6
José NevesIndependent11,6632.3
Luís Alves TilmanIndependent11,1252.2
Antonio Maher LopesSocialist Party of Timor9,1021.8
Ángela FreitasTimorese Workers' Party4,3530.8
Amorim VieiraIndependent4,2830.8
Invalid/blank votes11,932–
Total528,813100
Registered voters/turnout743,15071.2
Source: CNE

Parliamentary elections
Main article: 2018 East Timorese parliamentary election
Party Votes % Seats +/–
Alliance for Change and Progress (CNRT–PLP–KHUNTO)309,66349.634–1
Fretilin213,32434.2230
Democratic Party50,3708.15–2
Democratic Development Forum (PUDD–UDT–FM–PDN)34,3015.53+3
Hope of the Fatherland Party5,0600.800
National Development Movement (APMT–PLPA–MLPM–UNDERTIM)4,4940.700
Republican Party4,1250.700
Social Democratic Movement (CASDT–PSD–PST–PDC)3,1880.500
Invalid/blank votes10,591–––
Total635,116100650
Registered voters/turnout784,28680.98––
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. As mentioned in a 2010 source, the country was in the process of developing a legal system that includes private practice attorneys.[5]

Administrative divisions
Map of the districts of East Timor.

East Timor is divided into thirteen administrative districts:

The districts are subdivided into 65 subdistricts, 443 sucos and 2,336 towns, villages and hamlets. "". External link in |title= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help) (213 KiB)

Cabinet
Matan Ruak (2018-present) [6]
Main article: VIII Constitutional Government of East Timor
MinisterName
Prime MinisterTaur Matan Ruak
Minister of State Consellor Prime MinisterXanana Gusmão
Minister of State and of the Presidency of the Council of MinistersHermenegildo Ágio Pereira
Minister for Legislative Reform and Parliamentary AffairsFidelis Manuel Leite Magalhaes
Minister for Foreign Affairs and CooperationDionisio da Costa Babo Soares
Minister of JusticeManuel Carceres da Costa
Minister of Education, Youth and SportsDulce Soares
Minister of Higher Education, Science and CultureLonguinhos dos Santos
Minister of Social Solidarity and InclusionArmanda Berta dos Santos
Minister of Public WorksSalvador Soares dos Reis Pires
Minister of Transport and CommunicationsJose Agostinho da Silva
Minister of Agriculture and FisheriesJoaquim Jose Gusmao dos Reis Martins
Minister of Petroleum and MineralAlfredo Pires
Alkatiri II (2017–2018) [7]
Main article: VII Constitutional Government of East Timor
MinisterName
Prime MinisterMari Alkatiri
Minister of Development and Institutional Reform
Minister of StateJosé Ramos-Horta
Rui Maria de Araújo
Estanislau da Silva
Mariano Assanami Sabino
Deputy Minister of the Prime MinisterHermenegildo Augusto Cabral Pereira
José Maria dos Reis
Counselor for National SecurityJosé Ramos-Horta
Presidency of the Council of MinistersAdriano do Nascimento
Minister of Foreign Affairs and CooperationAurélio Guterres
Minister of Defence and SecurityJosé Agostinho Sequeira ("Somotxo")
Minister of Interior
Minister of Planning and FinanceRui Gomes
Deputy Minister of Housing, Planning and EnvironmentAbrão Gabriel Santos Oliveira
Minister of Justice
Deputy Minister of JusticeSebastião Dias Ximenes
Minister of HealthRui Maria de Araújo
Deputy Minister of HealthLuís Maria Ribeiro Freitas Lobato
Minister of Education and CultureFernando Hanjam
Vice Minister of Education and CultureLurdes Bessa
Deputy Minister of Education and CultureJosé António de Jesus das Neves
Minister of State AdministrationValentim Ximenes
Deputy Minister of State AdministrationJosé Anuno
Minister of Commerce, Industry and EnvironmentAntónio Conceição
Deputy Minister of Commerce and IndustryJacinto Gusmão
Minister of Social SolidarityFlorentina da Conceição Pereira Martins Smith
Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communications
Deputy Minister of Public WorksMariano Renato Monteiro da Cruz
Deputy Minister of Transport and CommunicationsInácio Freitas Moreira
Minister of Agriculture and FisheriesEstanislau da Silva
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and FisheriesCipriano Esteves Doutel Ferreira
Minister of Tourism and Art
Minister of PetroleumHernani Filomena Coelho da Silva
Minister of Mineral ResourcesMariano Assanami Sabino
Araújo (2015–2017)[8]
MinisterName
Prime MinisterRui Maria de Araújo
Minister of StateHermenegildo 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 MinistersHermenegildo Ágio Pereira
Minister of Foreign Affairs and CooperationHernâni Coelho
Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and CooperationRoberto Sarmento de Oliveira Soares
Minister of DefenceCirilio José Cristóvão
Vice-Minister of DefenceN/A
Minister of InteriorLonguinhos Monteiro
Vice-Minister of InteriorN/A
Minister of FinanceSantina Cardoso
Vice-Minister of FinanceHélder Lopes
Minister of JusticeIvo Jorge Valente
Vice-Minister of JusticeN/A
Minister of HealthMaria do Céu Sarmento
Vice-Minister for HealthAna Isabel Soares
Minister of EducationFernando La Sama de Araújo
Vice-Minister of Education IDulce Soares
Vice-Minister of Education IIAbel da Costa Freitas Ximenes
Minister of State AdministrationDionísio da Costa Babo Soares
Vice-Minister of State AdministrationTomás do Rosário Cabral
Minister of Commerce, Industry and EnvironmentAntónio da Conceição
Vice-Minister of Commerce, Industry and EnvironmentConstâncio da Conceição Pinto
Minister of Social SolidarityIsabel Amaral Guterres
Vice-Minister of Social SolidarityMiguel Marques Gonçalves Manetelu
Minister of Public Works, Transport and CommunicationsGastão Francisco de Sousa
Vice-Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communications IJanuário da Costa Pereira
Vice-Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communications IIInácio Moreira
Minister of Agriculture and FisheriesEstanislau da Conceição Aleixo Maria da Silva
Vice-Minister of Agriculture and FisheriesMarcos da Cruz
Minister of Tourism, Art and CultureFrancisco Kalbuadi Lay
Vice-Minister of Tourism, Art and CultureN/A
Minister of Petroleum and Mineral ResourcesAlfredo Pires
Vice-Minister of Petroleum and Mineral ResourcesN/A
Minister of Planning and Strategic InvestmentXanana Gusmão
Vice-Minister of Planning and Strategic InvestmentN/A
Gusmão II (2012-2015)[9]
MinisterName
Prime MinisterKay Rala Xanana Gusmão
Vice Prime MinisterFernando La Sama de Araújo
Minister of StateAgio Pereira
José Luís Guterres
Presidency of the Council of MinistersAgio Pereira
Minister of Coordinator of Social AffairsFernando La Sama de Araújo
Minister of Foreign Affairs and CooperationJosé Luís Guterres
Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and CooperationConstâncio da Conceição Pinto
Minister of Defence and SecurityXanana Gusmão
Vice-Minister of Defence and SecurityN/A
Minister of FinanceEmilia Pires
Vice-Minister of FinanceSantina Cardoso
Minister of JusticeDionísio Babo Soares
Vice-Minister of JusticeIvo Jorge Valente
Minister of HealthSérgio Lobo
Vice-Minister for Ethnics and Service DeliveryNatália de Araújo
Vice-Minister for Management, Support and ResourcesMaria do Céu Sarmento
Minister of EducationBendito Freitas
Vice-Minister of Basic/Primary EducationDulce Soares
Vice-Minister of Secondary EducationVirgílio Simith
Vice-Minister of Higher EducationMarçal Avelino Ximenes
Minister of State AdministrationJorge Teme
Vice-Minister of State AdministrationN/A
Minister of Commerce, Industry and EnvironmentAntónio da Conceição
Vice-Minister of Commerce, Industry and EnvironmentAbel da Costa Ximenes
Minister of Social SolidarityIsabel Amaral Guterres
Vice-Minister of Social SolidarityJacinto Rigoberto de Deus
Minister of Public WorksGastão Francisco de Sousa
Vice-Minister of Public WorksN/A
Minister of Transport and CommunicationsPedro Lay
Vice-Minister of Transport and CommunicationsFlávio Cardoso Neves
Minister of Agriculture and FisheriesMariano Assanami Sabino
Vice-Minister of Agriculture and FisheriesMarcos da Cruz
Minister of TourismFrancisco Kalbuadi Lay
Vice-Minister of TourismN/A
Minister of Petroleum and Mineral ResourcesAlfredo Pires
Vice-Minister of Petroleum and Mineral ResourcesN/A
Gusmão I (2007-2012)[10]
MinisterName
Prime MinisterKay Rala Xanana Gusmão
Vice Prime MinisterJosé Luís Guterres (Social Affairs)
? (Management and State Administration)
Minister of Defence and SecurityXanana Gusmão
Vice-Minister of Defence and SecurityN/A
Minister of Foreign Affairs and CooperationZacarias da Costa
Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and CooperationN/A
Minister of FinanceEmília Pires
Vice-Minister of FinanceRui Manuel Hajam
Minister of JusticeLúcia Lobato
Vice-Minister of JusticeN/A
Minister of HealthNelson Martins
Vice-Minister of HealthMadalena Hanjam
Minister of EducationJoão Câncio Freitas
Vice-Minister of EducationPaulo Assis Belo
Minister of Internal AdministrationArcângelo Leite
Vice-Minister of Internal AdministrationN/A
Minister of Economy and DevelopmentJoão Gonçalves
Vice-Minister of Economy and DevelopmentCristiano da Costa
Minister of Social SolidarityMaria Domingas Alves
Vice-Minister of Social SolidarityN/A
Minister of Public WorksGastão Francisco de Sousa
Vice-Minister of Public WorksN/A
Minister of InfrastructurePedro Lay
Vice-Minister of InfrastructureJosé Manuel Carrascalão
Minister of Transport, Communications and Public WorksOvidio D. J. Amaral
Vice-Minister of Transport, Communications and Public WorksN/A
Minister of Agriculture and FisheriesMariano Assanami Sabino
Vice-Minister of Agriculture and FisheriesN/A
Minister of Tourism, Commerce and IndustryGil Alves
Vice-Minister of Tourism, Commerce and IndustryN/A
Alkatiri (2002-2007)[11]
MinisterName
Prime MinisterMarí Bim Amude Alkatiri
Vice Prime MinisterN/A
Minister of StateAnna Pessoa Pinto
Jose Ramos Horta
Vice-Minister of StateOlimpio Branco
Presidency of the Council of MinistersAnna Pessoa Pinto
Minister of Foreign Affairs and CooperationJose Ramos Horta
Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and CooperationOlimpio Branco
Minister of Internal AffairsRogerio Tiago Lobato
Vice-Minister of Internal AffairsAlcino Baris
Minister of Planning and FinanceMaria M. B. Boavida
Vice-Minister of Planning and FinanceAicha Bassarewan
Minister of JusticeDomingos Maria Sarmento
Vice-Minister of JusticeManuel Abrantes
Minister of HealthRui Maria de Araujo
Vice-Minister of HealthLuis Maria Lobato
Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and SportsArmindo Maia
Vice-Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and SportsRosaria Corte-Real
Minister of Internal AdministrationAnna Pessoa Pinto
Vice-Minister of Internal AdministrationIlda M. da Conceicao
Minister of Development and Environment?
Vice-Minister of Development and EnvironmentAbel Da C. F. Ximenes
Minister of Transport, Communications and Public WorksOvidio D. J. Amaral
Vice-Minister of Transport, Communications and Public WorksArq Cesar V. Moreira
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesEstanislau A. da Silva
Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesF. De Sa Benevides

References
  1. Shoesmith, Dennis (March–April 2003). "Timor-Leste: Divided Leadership in a Semi-Presidential System". Asian Survey. Berkeley: University of California Press. 43 (2): 231–252. doi:10.1525/as.2003.43.2.231. ISSN 0004-4687. OCLC 905451085. The semi-presidential system in the new state of Timor-Leste has institutionalized a political struggle between the president, Xanana Gusmão, and the prime minister, Mari Alkatiri. This has polarized political alliances and threatens the viability of the new state. This paper explains the ideological divisions and the history of rivalry between these two key political actors. The adoption of Marxism by Fretilin in 1977 led to Gusmão's repudiation of the party in the 1980s and his decision to remove Falintil, the guerrilla movement, from Fretilin control. The power struggle between the two leaders is then examined in the transition to independence. This includes an account of the politicization of the defense and police forces and attempts by Minister of Internal Administration Rogério Lobato to use disaffected Falintil veterans as a counterforce to the Gusmão loyalists in the army. The December 4, 2002, Dili riots are explained in the context of this political struggle.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Neto, Octávio Amorim; Lobo, Marina Costa (2010). "Between Constitutional Diffusion and Local Politics: Semi-Presidentialism in Portuguese-Speaking Countries" (PDF). APSA 2010 Annual Meeting Paper. Social Science Research Network. SSRN 1644026. Retrieved 25 August 2017.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  3. Beuman, Lydia M. (2016). Political Institutions in East Timor: Semi-Presidentialism and Democratisation. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. ISBN 978-1317362128. LCCN 2015036590. OCLC 983148216. Retrieved 18 August 2017 – via Google Books.
  4. The Economist Intelligence Unit (8 January 2019). "Democracy Index 2019". Economist Intelligence Unit. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  5. "Setór Justisa Planu Estratéjiku ba Timor-Leste 2011-2030" (PDF). Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste. 2010.
  6. Ruak
  7. Alkatiri II
  8. Araújo
  9. Gusmão II
  10. Gusmão I
  11. Alkatiri

Further reading
  • Berlie, Jean A, ed. (2018). East Timor's Independence, Indonesia and ASEAN. London: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9783319626291.
  • Leach, Michael; Kingsbury, Damien, eds. (2013). The Politics of Timor-Leste: Democratic Consolidation After Intervention. Studies on Southeast Asia, no. 59. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University, Southeast Asia Program Publications. ISBN 9780877277897.
  • Nixon, Rod (2011). Justice and Governance in East Timor: Indigenous Approaches and the 'New Subsistence State'. Routledge Contemporary Southeast Asia Series. London; New York: Routledge. ISBN 9781912483594.
  • Strating, Rebecca (2016). Social Democracy in East Timor. Routledge Contemporary Southeast Asia Series. London; New York: Routledge. ISBN 9781138885325.
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