Government of Timor-Leste

The President of the Republic, Francisco Guterres Lú-Olo, announced today, January 26^th, 2018, the National Parliament’s dissolution and called for early elections as a solution to solve the current institutional crisis in the country.

This decision, broadcasted live on the national television networks, was announced at the Nicolau Lobato Presidential Palace, in Dili, to an audience composed by the President of the National Parliament, Aniceto Guterres, the President of the Court of Appeal, Deolindo dos Santos, General Chief of Staff of the Defense Force, Major General Lere Anan Timur, the Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice, Silvério Pinto, deputies of the National Parliament, diplomatic corps, members of the Government, Catholic Church and civil society representatives, among others.

The Head of State will set the date soon for these early elections, with the current electoral law providing that, in case of dissolution of the National Parliament, the Head of State will "set, by decree, the election date for the Members of Parliament (...) at least sixty days in advance ".

The current Government becomes a management executive until the new Government takes office, and during the period in which the National Parliament is dissolved, the Standing Commission of the National Parliament, presided by the President of the National Parliament and composed by the vice-presidents and Members of Parliament appointed by political parties with parliamentary seats, will operate respecting the principle of representativeness.