The Government of Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste - Government

Based on the etymolgy of Timor-Leste, it was timor" derives from the Indonesian and Malay word "timur" meaning "east"; "leste" is the Portuguese word for "east", so "Timor-Leste" literally means "Eastern-East"; the local [Tetum] name "Timor Lorosa'e" translates as "East Rising Sun". The Government system in this country is the semi-presidential republic type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 12 municipalities (municipios, singular municipio) and 1 special adminstrative region* (regiao administrativa especial); Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro (Maliana), Covalima (Suai), Dili, Ermera (Gleno), Lautem (Lospalos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oe-Cusse Ambeno* (Pante Macassar), Viqueque

National symbols

Mount Ramelau; national colors: red, yellow, black, white.

The flag

The National flag of Timor-Leste has 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; a white star - pointing to the upper hoist-side corner of the flag - is in the center of the black triangle; yellow denotes the colonialism in Timor-Leste's past, black represents the obscurantism that needs to be overcome, red stands for the national liberation struggle; the white star symbolizes peace and serves as a guiding light.

The National Anthem

Title	"Patria" (Fatherland)
Lyric/music	Fransisco Borja DA COSTA/Afonso DE ARAUJO

note: adopted 2002; the song was first used as an anthem when Timor-Leste declared its independence from Portugal in 1975; the lyricist, Francisco Borja DA COSTA, was killed in the Indonesian invasion just days after independence was declared

More about the government of Timor-Leste

Constitution
Date of Independence	20 May 2002 (from Indonesia); note - 28 November 1975 was the date independence was proclaimed from Portugal; 20 May 2002 was the date of international recognition of Timor-Leste's independence from Indonesia
National holiday	Restoration of Independence Day, 20 May (2002); Proclamation of Independence Day, 28 November (1975)
Legal system	civil law system based on the Portuguese model; note - penal and civil law codes to replace the Indonesian codes were passed by Parliament and promulgated in 2009 and 2011, respectively
International law organization participation	accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
History	Drafted 2001, approved 22 March 2002, entered into force 20 May 2002
Amendments	Proposed by Parliament and parliamentary groups; consideration of amendments requires at least four-fifths majority approval by Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by Parliament and promulgation by the president of the republic; passage of amendments to the republican form of government and the flag requires approval in a referendum
Citizenship
Citizenship by birth	no
Citizenship by descent only	at least one parent must be a citizen of Timor-Leste
Dual citizenship recognized	no
Residency requirement for naturalization	10 years
Executive Branch
Chief of state	President José RAMOS-HORTA (since 20 May 2022)
Head of government	Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 1 July 2023)
Cabinet	Council of Ministers; ministers proposed to the prime minister by the coalition in the Parliament and sworn in by the President of the Republic
Elections/appointments	president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); last election held on 19 March 2022 with a runoff on 19 April 2022 (next to be held in April 2027); following parliamentary elections, the president appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as the prime minister
Election results	2022: José RAMOS-HORTA elected president in second round - RAMOS-HORTA (CNRT) 62.1%, Francisco GUTERRES (FRETILIN) 37.9% 2017: Francisco GUTERRES elected president; Francisco GUTERRES (FRETILIN) 57.1%, António da CONCEICAO (PD) 32.5%, other 10.4%
Legislative branch
Description	Unicameral National Parliament (65 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed, party-list proportional representation vote using the D'Hondt method to serve 5-year terms)
Elections	Last held on 21 May 2023 (next to be held in May 2028)
Election results	Percent of vote by party - CNRT 41.5%, FRETILIN 25.8%, PD 9.3%, KHUNTO 7.5%, PLP 6%, other 9.9%; seats by party - CNRT 31, FRETILIN 19, PD 6, KHUNTO 5, PLP 4; composition - men 40, women 25, percentage women 38.5%
Judicial branch
Highest court(s)	Court of Appeals (consists of the court president and NA judges)
Judge selection and term of office	Court president appointed by the president of the republic from among the other court judges to serve a 4-year term; other court judges appointed - 1 by the Parliament and the others by the Supreme Council for the Judiciary, a body chaired by the court president and that includes mostly presidential and parliamentary appointees; other judges serve for life
Subordinate courts	Court of Appeal; High Administrative, Tax, and Audit Court; district courts; magistrates' courts; military courts
Diplomatic representation in the US
Chief of mission	Ambassador José Luis GUTERRES (since 17 June 2024)
Chancery	4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 504, Washington, DC 20008
Telephone	[1] (202) 966-3202
FAX	[1] (202) 966-3205
Email address and website	[email protected]
Diplomatic representation from the US
Chief of mission	Ambassador (vacant), Chargé d'Affaires Marc WEINSTOCK (since August 2023)
Embassy	Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Coqueiros, Dili
Mailing address	8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250
Telephone	(670) 332-4684, (670) 330-2400
FAX	(670) 331-3206
Email address and website	[email protected] https://tl.usembassy.gov/