by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 14 April 2002 (next
to be held 9 April 2007)
election results: Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO elected president; percent
of vote - Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do AMARAL
17.3%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary, minimum
requirement of 52 and a maximum of 65 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - for its first term of
office, the National Parliament is comprised of 88 members on an
exceptional basis
elections: (next to be held in May 2007); direct elections for
national parliament were never held; elected delegates to the
national convention adopted a constitution and named themselves
legislators instead of having elections; hence the exceptional
numbers for this term of the national parliament
election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 57.37%, PD
8.72%, PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%, PNT 2.21%, KOTA 2.13%, PPT
2.01%, PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%, independents/other 5.42%; seats by
party - FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT
2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice - constitution calls for one judge to be
appointed by National Parliament and rest appointed by Superior
Council for Judiciary; note - until Supreme Court is established,
Court of Appeals is highest court

Political parties and leaders:
Associacao Social-Democrata Timorense or ASDT [Francisco Xavier do
AMARAL]; Christian Democratic Party of Timor or PDC [Antonio
XIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC [Vicente da
Silva GUTERRES]; Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO];
People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER]; Revolutionary Front
of Independent East Timor or FRETILIN [Francisco Guterres Lu OLO];
Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO];
Socialist Party of Timor or PST [Pedro da COSTA]; Sons of the
Mountain Warriors (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes) or
KOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL]; Timor Democratic Union or UDT
[Joao CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or PTT [Paulo Freitas DA
SILVA]; Timorese Nationalist Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO]

International organization participation:
ACP, ARF, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC