DILI, 19 april 2023 (TATOLI) – A total of 17 political parties, today, begin the electoral campaigns to contest the upcoming parliamentary election to be held on 21 may.
The 17 political parties are National Development Party (PDN); Aileba People Liberation Party (PLPA); People’s Liberation Party (PLP); Democratic Party (PD); Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan (KHUNTO); Green Party (PVT); Timorese Union Democratic (UDT); Party of Unity for Democratic Development (PUDD); Republican Party (PR); National Unity Democratic Party of the Timorese Resistance (UNDERTIM); Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (FRETILIN); National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT); Timorese Social Democratic Action Center Party (CASDTL); Maubere People’s Liberation Movement Party (MLPM); Timorese Socialist Party (PST); Christian Democratic Party (PDC); and Association of Timorese Popular Monarchy (APMT).
During the political campaign, each political party will deliver its program and promises to persuade voters to compete for the 65 seats in the National Assembly.
During the campaign, three different types of political campaigns would be used by political parties, depending on the influential size of the party. Generally, in Timor-Leste, big parties use stage campaigns, while small parties prefer dialogue and door-to-door campaigning.
According to the campaign calendar, FRETILIN, one of the big parties in Timor-Leste, starts its political campaign, today (19/04) in the municipality of Baucau, while the second big party, CNRT, kicks off its campaign in Manatuto.
Meanwhile, KHUNTO starts campaigning in Ainaro municipality, Democratic Party in Dili, and PLP also in Baucau. In addition, all the small parties will also start campaigning through dialogues and door-to-door campaigning throughout the country.
The President of the Republic, Jose Ramos Horta, in his message on the kick-off of the electoral campaigns, calls on all parties to focus on delivering their campaign programs instead of insulting and defaming each other.
“The Timorese people have experienced violent acts in their life history, so each political party should be careful with its speech and words during the electoral campaign, respecting others and avoiding insulting to demonstrate its readiness to hold a position in the next government,” the Head of State said.
The one-month-long election campaign is scheduled to end on 18 may, three days prior to the elections.
Municipal and regional tabulation of results and submission of the electoral minutes and other elements (ballot papers claimed and complaints filed) to CNE would be conducted from 21 to 23 may. And the national tabulation would be conducted from 24 to 27 may.
The result of the national tabulation would be officially announced by the Court of Appeal and published in the Official Journal on 27 june.
Elections are held every five years using a party-list proportional representation voting system to elect 65 members to the National Parliament. Voting is voluntary for all Timorese citizens over the age of 17.
There have been five elections for the parliament in Timor-Leste: 2001, 2007, 2012, 2017, and 2018.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges
