Rights
A semi-presidential republic under the 2002 Constitution
The Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste took effect on 20 May 2002 at the restoration of independence. It creates a semi-presidential system with a directly elected President, a Prime Minister answerable to the National Parliament, and a Court of Appeal that exercises constitutional jurisdiction pending the establishment of a dedicated Supreme Court of Justice.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — National. Timor-Leste is a unitary state; the special administrative region of Oe-Cusse Ambeno has devolved administrative powers but not a separate legal system.
Governing law
- Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste 2002 — the founding text, in force since 20 May 2002
In practice
The Constitution provides for a President elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term, renewable once, who can veto legislation and dissolve Parliament in defined circumstances. Executive government rests with a Council of Ministers led by a Prime Minister drawn from the parliamentary majority. Portuguese and Tetum are the official languages, and much foundational legislation exists in Portuguese, which matters practically for anyone researching primary sources. Note the transitional arrangement that still shapes the court structure: the Constitution envisages a Supreme Court of Justice, but it has never been established, and the Court of Appeal in Dili continues to exercise the final appellate and constitutional jurisdiction in its place.