National Parliament of East Timor
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The National Parliament of East Timor (Portuguese: Parlamento Nacional de Timor-Leste) is the unicameral national legislature in East Timor. It was created in 2001 as the Constituent Assembly while the country was still under the supervision of the United Nations, but renamed itself to the National Parliament with the attaining of national independence on May 20, 2002.
The number of members of the parliament will range between 52 and 65 in future, but it currently has 88 members, due to the Constituent Assembly's decision to reform as the National Parliament rather than holding new elections. All members serve five-year terms, and the term of the current parliament is due to expire in August 2006. Members are elected by a parallel/party-list system. The parliament sits in the National Parliament Building in the capital, Dili, which was specially refurbished with AU$1.8 million of Australian aid assistance in the leadup to independence.
As with many other nations, the party most able to gain a working majority in the parliament forms a government. The members of parliament subsequently elect the head of government, the Prime Minister, who is currently Jose Ramos-Horta. Legislation in some areas may be vetoed by the directly-elected head of state, the President, though this is largely a ceremonial role. Unlike a number of South Pacific nations, East Timor has a relatively stable political system, with Fretilin, the main resistance movement under the Indonesian occupation, having a workable majority.
There is universal franchise for all citizens over the age of 17, although voting is not compulsory.
[edit] Latest election
| Parties | Votes | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (Frente Revolucionária do Timor Leste Independente) | 57.4 | 55 | |
| Democratic Party (Partido Democrático ) | 8.7 | 7 | |
| Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata) | 8.2 | 6 | |
| Timorese Social Democratic Association (Associação Social-Democrata Timorense) | 7.8 | 6 | |
| Timorese Democratic Union (União Democrática Timorense) | 2.4 | 2 | |
| Timorese Nationalist Party (Partido Nacionalista Timorense) | 2.2 | 2 | |
| Association of Timorese Heroes (Klibur Oan Timor Asuwain) | 2.1 | 2 | |
| People's Party of Timor (Partido do Povo de Timor) | 2.0 | 2 | |
| Christian Democratic Party (Partido Democrata Cristão) | 2.0 | 2 | |
| Socialist Party of Timor (Partido Socialista de Timor) | 1.8 | 1 | |
| Liberal Party (Partai Liberal) | 1.1 | 1 | |
| Christian Democratic Party of Timor (Partido Democrata-Cristão de Timor) | 0.7 | 1 | |
| Non-partisan | 1 | ||
| Total (turnout 91.3 | 88 | ||
| Source: UNTAET/CNN/Adam Carr. The parliament was elected as Constituent Assembly | |||
[edit] See also
- Members of the National Parliament of East Timor, 2001-2006
