Info
Electoral Systems
ES001
Head of State
Question: How is the Head of State selected?
Answer(s):
c . Directly elected in general elections (absolute majority with 2nd round if necessary)
Comments: The President of the Republic is the Head of State elected for a five year term, renewable once. The election of the President of the Republic shall be conducted through the system based on the majority of validly expressed votes, excluding blank votes, by universal, free, direct, secret, and personal suffrage. Where no candidate gets more than half of the votes, a second round shall take place on the 30th day following the first voting. Only the two candidates obtaining the highest number of votes shall be eligible to stand in a run-off election, provided they have not withdrawn their candidacies.
Source: Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, article 74-76: https://timor-leste.gov.tl/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Constitution_RDTL_ENG.pdf
Verified: 2024/11/14
ES002
Head of Government
Question: How is the Head of Government selected?
Answer:
e . Appointed
Comments: The head of government is the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister shall be designated by the most-voted political party or alliance of political parties with parliamentary majority and shall be appointed by the President of the Republic, after consultation with the political parties sitting in the National Parliament.
Source: Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, article 104 (1) and 106 (1): https://timor-leste.gov.tl/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Constitution_RDTL_ENG.pdf
Verified: 2024/11/14
ES003
President
Question: Does the country have a president?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments: The President of the Republic is the Head of State and the symbol and guarantor of national independence and unity of the State and of the smooth functioning of democratic institutions.
Source: Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, article 74: https://timor-leste.gov.tl/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Constitution_RDTL_ENG.pdf
Verified: 2024/11/14
ES004
Number of Chambers
Question: The national legislature consists of (one/two chambers):
Answer:
a . One chamber
Comments: The National Parliament is the organ of sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of East Timor that represents all Timorese citizens and is vested with legislative supervisory and political decision making powers. The National Parliament shall be made up of a minimum of fifty-two and a maximum of sixty-five Members.
Source: Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, article 92-93: https://timor-leste.gov.tl/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Constitution_RDTL_ENG.pdf
Verified: 2024/11/14
ES005
Electoral System (Chamber 1)
Question: What is the electoral system for Chamber 1 of the national legislature?
Answer(s):
g . List Proportional Representation
Comments: Conversion of the votes into mandates shall observe the principle of proportional representation.
The conversion of votes into mandates shall observe the proportional representation system in accordance with the Hondt highest average method. Lists obtaining less than 3% (three percent) of the total of valid votes, blank votes excluded, shall not be entitled to attribution of mandates.
Source: Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, article 65 (4): https://timor-leste.gov.tl/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Constitution_RDTL_ENG.pdf
Law n.º 6/2006 on the Election of the National Parliament of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, article 13: https://mj.gov.tl/jornal/lawsTL/RDTL-Law/RDTL-Laws/Law-2006-06.pdf
Verified: 2024/11/14
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