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TIMOR-LESTE
National Parliament

This page contains the full text of the PARLINE database entry on the selected parliamentary chamber, with the exception of Specialized bodies modules which, because of their excessive length, can be only viewed and printed separately.

Modules:
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name National Parliament
More photos  >>>
Structure of parliament Unicameral
Affiliation to the IPU Yes
Affiliation date(s) 2008 -
LEADERSHIP
President Arão Noé Amaral (M) 
Notes Elected on 13 June 2018.
Secretary General Adelino Afonso de Jesus (M) 
Notes Appointed on 5 April 2018.
COMPOSITION
Members (statutory / current number) 65 / 65
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN


More statistics  >>>
Women (current number) 22 (33.85%)
Mode of designation directly elected 65
Term 5 years
Last renewal dates 12 May 2018
(View details)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Address National Parliament,
Rua de Formosa,
Dili, Timor-Leste
(Export mailing lists)
Phone (670) 333 98 55
723 01 67
Fax (670) 332 38 84
E-mail relacoes.internacionais@parlamento.tl
Website
http://www.parlamento.tl/

ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Parliament name National Parliament
Structure of parliament Unicameral
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Electoral law 28 December 2006
Last modified 22 June 2011 (Law No. 7/2011)
Mode of designation directly elected 65
Constituencies - one nation-wide constituency
Voting system Proportional: Proportional representation system (party list systems)
Each voter selects one list from among the plurinominal lists presented by political parties or party coalitions. Each list must contain the names of 65 candidates and no fewer than 25 alternate candidates. One in every three candidates on the party lists must be a woman.
Seats are allocated according to the highest average system, using the d'Hondt method. Parties and coalitions obtaining less than 3 per cent of the total votes are not entitled to a seat. Members of parliament who are elected to the National Parliament on one list and who switch to another party/coalition after their election forfeit their seats.
Vacancies arising between general elections are filled by the "next-in-line" candidate of the same party/coalition. Seats vacated by women must be filled by the next woman candidate on the respective list. The seat remains vacant if there are no more unelected candidates or alternate candidates on the list to which the holder of the vacant seat belonged.
Voting is not compulsory, but voter registration is.
Voter requirements - citizenship of Timor-Leste
- age: at least 17 years old
Disqualifications:
- persons disenfranchised by sentence handed down by a court of law;
- persons clearly and publicly known to be mentally ill even if they have not been disenfranchised by a court of law.
CANDIDATES
Eligibility - qualified voters
- citizenship of Timor-Leste
- age: at least 17 years old
Ineligibilities:
- the President of the Republic
- magistrates or public prosecutors in service
- serving career diplomats
- civil servants in service
- members of the Timor-Leste defence force in service
- members of the police in service
- ministers of any religion or cult
- members of the national electoral commission
Incompatibilities The offices of President of the Republic, Speaker of the National Parliament, President of the Supreme Court of Justice, President of the High Administrative, Tax and Audit Court, Prosecutor-General and member of Government may not be held by the same person/persons.
Candidacy requirements - Candidatures must be presented by duly registered political parties on party or coalition lists (the coalition must also be duly registered). The lists may include citizens not belonging to the respective parties or coalitions.
- One in every three candidates on the party lists must be a woman.
- No political party or party coalition may present more than one list of candidates.
- No one can be a candidate on more than one list.

LAST ELECTIONS

Parliament name National Parliament
Structure of parliament Unicameral
BACKGROUND
Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 12 May 2018
Timing and scope of renewal The Alliance of Change for Progress (AMP, see note 1), led by former President and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, won a majority in the 65-member Parliament. It defeated the Revolutionary Front for an independent East Timor (FRETILIN) led by President Francisco "Lu Olo" Guterres, which had led a minority government with the Democratic Party (PD) after the 2017 elections (see note 2). During the 2018 election campaign, the major parties promised to develop education and healthcare and to boost the agriculture and tourism sectors.

Note 1:
The AMP comprises Mr. Gusmao's National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT), the People's Liberation Party (PLP) and the Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan (KHUNTO), a youth party established before the 2017 elections.

Note 2:
The minority government, led by Mr. Mari Alkatiri (FRETILIN) - the country's first prime minister after independence from Indonesia in 2002 - was unable to pass key legislation including the country's budget in the Parliament controlled by the CNRT-led opposition. After the budget was rejected twice by Parliament in October and December 2017, the President dissolved Parliament in January 2018 and called for fresh elections for May, less than 10 months after the previous elections.
Date of previous elections: 22 July 2017

Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 26 January 2018

Timing of election: Early elections

Expected date of next elections: May 2023

Number of seats at stake: 65 (full renewal)

Number of candidates: Not available.

Percentage of women candidates: Not available.

Number of parties contesting the election: 8

Number of parties winning seats: 4

Alternation of power: Yes

Number of parties in government: 1

Names of parties in government: Alliance of Change for Progress (AMP)

Date of the first session of the new parliament: 13 June 2018

Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Arão Noé Amaral (National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction, CNRT)
STATISTICS
Voter turnout
Round no 112 May 2018
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes
784'286
675'721 (86.16%)

Notes
Distribution of votes
Round no 1
Political group Candidates Votes % of votes
Alliance of Change for Progress (AMP)
Revolutionary Front for an independent East Timor (FRETILIN)
Democratic Development Forum (FDD)
Democratic Party (PD)
Distribution of seats
Round no 1
Political Group Total of seats
Alliance of Change for Progress (AMP) 35
Revolutionary Front for an independent East Timor (FRETILIN) 23
Democratic Development Forum (FDD) 4
Democratic Party (PD) 3
Distribution of seats according to sex
Men

Women

Percent of women
43

22

33.85%
Distribution of seats according to age
Distribution of seats according to profession
Comments
Sources:
National Parliament (29.05.2018)
http://www.cne.tl/
http://www.cne.tl/apuramento.2018/public.php#
https://uk.reuters.com/
https://www.sbs.com.au/

This page was last updated on 25 June 2018
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