IFES Election Guide | Country Profile: Timor-Leste

Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste

1,341,300
Population (as of Jan. 1, 2022)

890,145
Registered Voters (as of None)

77.45%
Average Turnout

14
Elections in our database

V-Dem* Score: 0.733
Regimes of the World Classification: Electoral Democracy
*Varieties of Democracy Electoral Democracy Index (2024)

CEDAW Status: Ratified
Ratified Date: April 16, 2003

SIGI Score: N/A

CRPD Status: Ratified
Ratified Date: Jan. 17, 2023

HDI* Score: 0.634
Category: Medium
*UNDP Human Development Index (2023)

Name	Official Name	Type
Timorese Presidency	None	Head of State
Timorese National Parliament		Assembly

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: President José RAMOS-HORTA (since 20 May 2022)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana GUSMÃO (since 30 June 2023)
Assembly: unicameral National Parliament (Parlamento Nacional) with 65 seats

Description of electoral system:

The president is directly elected by absolute majority vote in up to two rounds. The president may serve up to two 5-year terms.
The prime minister is appointed by the president following legislative elections in which their party or coalition wins a majority.
All 65 members of the National Parliament are directly elected via closed-list proportional representation vote in a single nationwide constituency. Seats are distributed using the D’Hondt method, and party lists must win at least 4% of the vote to receive a seat. Members serve 5-year terms.

Elections

2023-05-21 | Status: Held
Timorese National Parliament
Votes 705,693
Registered 890,145
Turnout 79.28

2022-04-19 | Status: Held
Timorese Presidency
Votes 646,389
Registered 859,925
Turnout 75.17

2022-03-19 | Status: Held
Timorese Presidency
Votes 664,106
Registered 859,613
Turnout 77.26

2018-05-12 | Status: Held
Timorese National Parliament
Votes 624,525
Registered -
Turnout -

2017-07-22 | Status: Held
Timorese National Parliament
Votes 583,956
Registered 760,907
Turnout 76.74

2017-03-20 | Status: Held
Timorese Presidency
Votes 528,813
Registered 743,150
Turnout 71.16

2012-07-07 | Status: Held
Timorese National Parliament
Votes 482,792
Registered 645,624
Turnout 74.78

2012-04-16 | Status: Held
Timorese Presidency
Votes 458,703
Registered 627,295
Turnout 73.12

2012-03-17 | Status: Held
Timorese Presidency
Votes 489,933
Registered 627,295
Turnout 78.1

2007-06-30 | Status: Held
Timorese National Parliament
Votes 426,210
Registered 529,198
Turnout 80.54

2007-05-09 | Status: Held
Timorese Presidency
Votes 424,475
Registered 524,073
Turnout 81.0

2007-04-09 | Status: Held
Timorese Presidency
Votes -
Registered 524,073
Turnout -

2002-04-14 | Status: Held
Timorese Presidency
Votes 378,548
Registered 446,256
Turnout 84.83

2001-08-30 | Status: Held
Timorese National Parliament
Votes 384,248
Registered -
Turnout -

Election For	Date	Status	Votes	Registered Voters	Turnout
Timorese National Parliament	2023-05-21	Held	705,693	890,145	79.28
Timorese Presidency	2022-04-19	Held	646,389	859,925	75.17
Timorese Presidency	2022-03-19	Held	664,106	859,613	77.26
Timorese National Parliament	2018-05-12	Held	624,525	-	-
Timorese National Parliament	2017-07-22	Held	583,956	760,907	76.74
Timorese Presidency	2017-03-20	Held	528,813	743,150	71.16
Timorese National Parliament	2012-07-07	Held	482,792	645,624	74.78
Timorese Presidency	2012-04-16	Held	458,703	627,295	73.12
Timorese Presidency	2012-03-17	Held	489,933	627,295	78.1
Timorese National Parliament	2007-06-30	Held	426,210	529,198	80.54
Timorese Presidency	2007-05-09	Held	424,475	524,073	81.0
Timorese Presidency	2007-04-09	Held	-	524,073	-
Timorese Presidency	2002-04-14	Held	378,548	446,256	84.83
Timorese National Parliament	2001-08-30	Held	384,248	-	-

Voter Turnout

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