Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste: President, 20 March 2017

At stake in this election:

• The office of the President of Timor-Leste.

Note on the results: Only candidates who received more than 2% of the total vote are shown.

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State:  President Taur Matan RUAK (since 20 May 2012)
• Head of Government:  Prime Minister Rui Maria de ARAUJO (16 February 2015)
• Assembly:  Timor-Leste has a unicameral National Assembly of 65 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by absolute majority vote through a two-round system to serve a 5-year term with a 50% + 1 threshold system.
• The Prime Minister is appointed by the majority seats in National Parliament.
• In the National Parliament 65 members are elected through a closed-list proportional representation system to serve 5-year terms.
  • There is one, nationwide constituency and a 3 percent threshold for entering parliament. Each list must contain the names of 65 candidates and no fewer than 25 alternate candidates. In addition, every fourth candidate on a list must be female (Law 6/2006 Article 12).

Last Election:

• President Taur Matan RUAK of the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction defeated Francisco GUTERRES of the Revolutionary Front of an Independent Timor-Leste.

Main candidates in the election:

• José Antonio de Jesus das SILVA
  •  Independent
• Francisco 'Lu Olo' GUTERRES
  • Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor/ Frente Revolusinaria de Timor-Leste Undependente (FRETILIN)
• Antono Maher LOPES
  • Socialist Party of Timor/ Partido Socialista de Timor
• Maria Angela Freitas da SILVA
  • Labor Party / Partido Trabalhista Timorense (PTT)
• Antonio Luis GUTERRES
  • Democratic Party / Partido Democrático
• José Luis GUTERRES
  • Front for the National Reconstruction of Timor-Leste/ Frente da Reconstrução nacional de Timor-Leste-Mudança (FM)
• Amorim VIEIRA
  • Independent
• Luis Alves TILMAN
  • Independent

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population:  1,261,072 (July 2016)
• Registered Voters:  744,613 (2017)

Gender Data:

• Female Population:  628,865 (July 2016)
• Is Timor-Leste a signatory to CEDAW:  No
• Has Timor-Leste ratified CEDAW:  Yes (since 16 April 2003)
• Gender Quota:  No[1]
• Female candidates in this election:  Yes
• Number of Female Parliamentarians:  25
• Human Development Index Position:  128
• Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization:  High (2014)

Disability Data:

• Is Timor-Leste a signatory to CRPD:  No
• Has Timor-Leste ratified CRPD:  No
• Population with a disability:  184,667[2]