Politics of East Timor

Politics of East Timor
from the CIA World Factbook 2002

Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of East Timor
conventional short form: East Timor
local short form: Timor Lorosa'e (Tetum); Timor-Leste (Portuguese)
former: Portuguese Timor
local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e (Tetum); Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste (Portuguese)

Government type: republic

Capital: Dili

Administrative divisions: 13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque

Independence: November 28, 1975 (date of proclamation of independence from Portugal); note - May 20, 2002 is the official date of international recognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia (see History of East Timor)

National holiday: Independence Day, November 28 (1975)

Constitution: March 22, 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Kay Rala Xanana GUSMÃO (since May 20, 2002); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is able to veto some legislation
head of government: Prime Minister Mari Bin Amude ALKATIRI[?] (since May 20, 2002)
cabinet: Council of State
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held April 14, 2002 (next to be held NA April 2007); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president
election results: Kay Rala Xanana GUSMÃO elected president; percent of vote - Kay Rala Xanana GUSMÃO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do Amaral 17.3%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary, minimum requirement of 52 and a maximum of 65 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - for its first term of office, the National Parliament is comprised of 88 members on an exceptional basis
elections: last held August 30, 2001 (next to be held NA August 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN[?] 57.37%, PD 8.72%, PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%, PNT 2.21%, KOTA 2.13%, PPT 2.01%, PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%, independents/other 5.42%; seats by party - FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT 2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice, one judge appointed by the National Parliament and the rest appointed by the Superior Council for the Judiciary

Political parties and leaders: Associacão Social-Democrata Timorense or ASDT [Francisco Xavier do AMARAL]; Christian Democratic Party of Timor or PDC [Antonio XIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC [Vicente da Silva GUTERRES]; Democratic Pary or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO]; Maubere Democratic Party or PDM [leader NA]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER]; Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor or FRETILIN[?] [Lu OLO]; Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO]; Socialist Party of Timor or PST [leader NA]; Sons of the Mountain Warriors (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes) or KOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL]; Timor Democratic Union or UDT [Joao CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or TRABALHISTA [Paulo Freitas DA SILVA]; Timorese Nationalist Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO]; Timorese Popular Democratic Association or APODETI [Frederico Almeida Santos COSTA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

Flag description: red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends to the center of the flag; there is a white star in the center of the black triangle