Type Unicameral Length of term 5 years | Seats 65 MPs | |
 | ||
President Taur Matan Ruak, Independent
Since 2012 Prime Minister Rui Maria de Araújo, FRETILIN
Since 2015 Political groups Government (33)
FRETILIN (25)
PD (8)
Opposition (30)
CNRT (30)
Crossbench (2)
Frenti-Mudança (2) | ||
The National Parliament (Tetum: Parlamentu Nasionál, Portuguese: Parlamento Nacional) 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 20 May 2002.
Contents
Structure
National Parliament has 65 members, elected every 5 years through party-list proportional representation voting. The three main components of concerning parliament in East Timor are the National Parliament, the Prime Minister, and the President.
President
The President is elected in a separate election from National Parliament, and their role is the head of state. They are able to reject certain legislation, but their role is limited by the Constitution. The current President, as of 20 May 2012, is Taur Matan Ruak.
Prime Minister
The President appoints the Prime Minister, but it is expected that he will select the leader of the largest party/coalition. Essentially, if no one party is able to form a majority in its own right, then all the members of parliament subsequently elect the head of government. The Prime Minister carries out the function of the head of government. The current Prime Minister, as of 16 February 2015, is Rui Maria de Araújo.
Elections
Elections are held every 5 years using a party-list proportional representation voting system to elect 65 members to the National Assembly. Voting is voluntary for all East Timorese citizens over the age of 17. There have been three elections for the parliament in East Timor: 2001, 2007, and 2012. The next election will be held in 2017.
Current members
The 3rd National Parliament of East Timor currently consists of 65 members elected in the 2012 election. 30 members are from National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT), 25 are from the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (FRETILIN), 8 are from the Democratic Party (PD), and 2 are from Frenti-Mudança. Each of these MPs will serve a 5-year term, which began in 2012 and will conclude in 2017.