VII. Constitutional Government of East Timor
The VII. Constitutional Government of East Timor (VII Constitutional Government) was the seventh government of East Timor since the dismissal of East Timor to independence on May 20, 2002. Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri ruled since 15 September 2017. He was already 2002-2006 Prime Minister of East Timor. Among the ministers were three of the four other previous Prime Ministers of East Timor since independence in 2002, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate José Ramos-Horta . Xanana Gusmão , the fourth founder of the largest opposition party, the CNRT , was nevertheless the chief negotiator in the border disputes with Australia , which he successfully concluded. The minority government consisting of FRETILIN and PD could not prevail in the national parliament with its program and the plans for the state budget against the majority from CNRT, PLP and KHUNTO , which led to a month-long blockade in the country's politics, which is why President Francisco Guterres on 26. January 2018 dissolved the parliament and called new elections for May 12th .
history
Government formation
After the parliamentary elections on July 22, 2017 , the VI. Government under Rui Maria de Araújo held office until September, as the formation of a government was delayed due to protracted coalition negotiations.
Alkatiri was appointed Prime Minister by President Francisco Guterres (FRETILIN) on September 14th and charged with forming a government . The first members of the VII constitutional government of East Timor were introduced and sworn in on September 15, 2017. Three members of the government were again highlighted as "ministers of state": the former prime ministers José Ramos-Horta, Estanislau da Silva and Rui Maria de Araújo. Ramos-Horta is not the head of a specialist ministry, but is a “national security advisor,” a new office based on the United States' national security advisor . Alkatiris FRETILIN had signed a coalition agreement with the PD on September 13th. The alliance has only 30 of the 65 seats in the parliament elected on July 22nd . The originally planned third coalition partner KHUNTO did not sign the contract at the last minute due to internal disputes, but announced that it would cooperate with the minority government . However, the three parties already lacked two votes in the election of the President of Parliament Aniceto Guterres Lopes (FRETILIN) on September 4, so that Lopes defeated his predecessor Adérito Hugo da Costa (CNRT) with just a majority of one vote .
Alkatiri continued to be president of the special economic zones. Alkatiri also headed the Ministry of Justice until the new officials were appointed . Estanislau da Silva provisionally headed the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Rui Maria de Araújo the Ministry of Education .
On September 29, 2017, further members of the government were appointed. Among them were two members of the opposition parties CNRT and PLP. The president's published decree was repealed by a new one on October 2nd, as the first received some errors. In the President's Decree 64/2017, the official title of Ágio Pereira was changed and two more members of the government were appointed. All new office holders were sworn in on October 3rd.
On October 13, President Guterres appointed the last four members of the cabinet. She and Vice Foreign Minister Adaljíza Magno , who was ambassador to Singapore at the last swearing -in round , were sworn in on October 17, 2017. Including Justice Minister Ângela Carrascalão from the UDT.
Conflict with the opposition
After the government program was passed in the Council of Ministers, the opposition showed its strength on the same day. On October 6th, the 35 MPs from CNRT, PLP and KHUNTO sent a letter to President Francisco Guterres, in which they expressed their willingness to "offer an alternative solution for a government" if the government could not implement their program in parliament, to ensure “peace, stability and development”. Guterres is criticized for recognizing a minority government instead of “looking for a solution that a majority government would have made possible”. FRETILIN had failed to create a consensus between the parties in order to be able to implement the program and the state budget. On October 8, the three opposition parties declared the establishment of the bloc "Oppositional Alliance of the Parliamentary Majority" ( tetum Aliansa Opozisaun Maioria Parliamentar AOMP ), with which they want to control the work of the government. On October 11, the PLP announced that L4 and Cipriano Estevez would be suspended from party membership while they were in government, and so would José Neves, who is closely associated with the PLP, as long as they would not be allowed to attend party events. On October 12th, CNRT, PLP and KHUNTO officially signed an agreement to form the new Aliança da Maioria MP (AMP) .
On October 19, the opposition rejected the government program in parliament with a majority. A second rejection of the government program would be tantamount to failure of the government. However, the constitution did not specify the exact procedure for the second presentation of the program. Above all, the deadline was disputed in a row. For the first presentation it is 30 days. The Prime Minister stressed that he did not see himself obliged to present the program later this year. Alkatiri acted as if he had just made a proposal to parliament to correct the state budget. The opposition reacted angrily and declared that it would now formally replace the current government. Previously there had already been a scandal in the budget debates. President Lopes refused to vote on an opposition motion. Since then, the opposition has blocked work in the budget committees, so that the budget could not come into force due to a lack of resolution. Another motion by the opposition on the agenda of November 20, which was supposed to deal with the removal of the government, was also not approved by the speaker of parliament. Just as little as a discussion about his own dismissal, which the opposition called for on December 4th. In return, Lopes filed a motion with the Tribunal de Recurso de Timor-Leste to review the constitutionality of the article of Parliament's Rules of Procedure that enables his removal. He demanded an injunction against the application for removal, "in defense of the honor and dignity of the office".
FRETILIN accused the AMP of carrying out a coup d'état, although the opposition's measures have so far been all covered by the constitution. Alkatiri threatened the AMP “if they dance in the house [(in parliament)], we should dance in the streets.” He previously urged the security forces to protect public order, but there are no signs of impending violence. This was also confirmed by Army Chief Lere Anan Timor and Police Chief Júlio Hornay , who at the same time called on the population to keep calm. In return, the opposition spoke of an unconstitutional usurpation of power by the government and parliamentary speaker.
On December 18, 2017, President Aniceto Guterres Lopes gave the government 30 days to present the second program proposal. After it was not submitted on January 18, 2018 and Guterres had not invited Lopes to a plenary session against the rules, it was decided that the opposition's motion of censure should be discussed for up to three days from January 31. In the meantime, on December 20, parliament rejected the government's draft for the state budget of 1.61 billion US dollars (previous year: 1.39 billion US dollars) for the second time. CNRT group leader Arão Noé da Costa Amaral called the draft budget unconstitutional. The priorities for people and nation would not be reflected in it.
The governing parties were now aiming for new elections, while the AMP parties wanted the government mandate from the president. After talks with representatives of all parties, President Guterres decided on January 26, 2018 to dissolve Parliament (Presidential Decree No. 5/2018) and called for new elections. The overriding of the parliamentary majority by President Guterres is rated by commentators and political scientists as an "attack on democracy". He and Alkatiri were accused of "stubbornness" and "arrogance". The prime minister would break the law just to stay in power.
The early elections on May 12, 2018 brought the AMP an absolute majority so that it will form the future government .
Members of the government
| Alkatiri government, since September 15, 2017 | ||
| photo | Surname | Post |
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Marí Bin Amude Alkatiri (FRETILIN) | Prime Minister, Minister for Development and Institutional Reform |
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Hermenegildo Augusto Ágio Cabral Pereira (CNRT) | Deputy Prime Minister for the determination of the sea borders (sworn in on October 3, 2017) |
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José Maria dos Reis (FRETILIN) | Deputy Prime Minister for Government Affairs (sworn in on October 3, 2017) |
| minister | ||
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José Ramos-Horta (independent) | Minister of State, Adviser on National Security Issues |
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Rui Maria de Araújo (FRETILIN) | Minister of State, Minister of Health |
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Estanislau da Silva (FRETILIN) | Minister of State, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries |
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Mariano Sabino Lopes (PD) | Minister of State and Minister for Mineral Resources (sworn in on October 3, 2017) |
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Adriano do Nascimento (PD) | Minister of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers |
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Aurélio Sérgio Cristóvão Guterres (FRETILIN) | Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation |
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Valentim Ximenes (FRETILIN) | Minister of State Administration |
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Rui Augusto Gomes (independent) | Minister for Planning and Finance |
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José Agostinho Sequeira Somotxo (FRETILIN) | Minister for Defense and Security |
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António da Conceição (PD) | Minister for Trade and Industry |
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Florentina da Conceição Pereira Martins Smith (FRETILIN) | Minister for Social Solidarity |
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Fernando Hanjam (PLP) | Minister for Education and Culture (sworn in on October 3, 2017) |
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Hernâni Coelho (FRETILIN) | Minister for Petroleum (sworn in on October 3, 2017) |
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Ângela Carrascalão (UDT) | Minister of Justice (sworn in on October 17, 2017) |
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Manuel Vong | Minister for Tourism (sworn in on October 17, 2017) |
| Vice Minister | ||
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Maria Lurdes Martins de Sousa Bessa (PD) | Vice Minister for Education and Culture |
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José António de Jesus das Neves ( related to PLP , suspended from the party) | Vice Minister for Education and Culture (sworn in on October 3, 2017) |
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Mariano Renato Monteiro da Cruz | Vice Minister for Development for Public Works (sworn in on October 3, 2017) |
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Abrão Gabriel Santos Oliveira (FRETILIN) | Vice Minister for Housing, Planning and Environment Development (sworn in on October 3, 2017) |
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Inácio Freitas Moreira (FRETILIN) | Vice Minister for Development for Transport and Communication (sworn in on October 3, 2017) |
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José Anuno (PD) | Vice Minister for State Administration (sworn in on October 3, 2017) |
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Luís Maria Ribeiro Freitas Lobato (FRETILIN) | Vice Minister for Health (sworn in on October 3, 2017) |
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Sebastião Dias Ximenes | Vice Minister for Justice (sworn in on October 3, 2017) |
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Jacinto Gusmão | Vice Minister for Trade and Industry (sworn in on October 3, 2017) |
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Deolindo da Silva (FRETILIN) | Vice Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries (sworn in on October 3, 2017) |
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Adaljíza Magno (FRETILIN) | Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (sworn in on October 17, 2017) |
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Sara Lobo Brites | Vice Minister for Planning and Finance (sworn in on October 17, 2017) |
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Rui Meneses da Costa (PD) | Vice Minister for Tourism (sworn in on October 17, 2017) |
| State Secretaries | ||
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Cipriano Esteves Doutel Ferreira (PLP, suspended from the party) | State Secretary for Agriculture and Fisheries (sworn in on October 3, 2017) |
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Matias Freitas Boavida (FRETILIN) | State Secretary for the Council of Ministers and Social Communications (sworn in on October 3, 2017) |
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Osório Costa (FRETILIN) | State Secretary for Sport and Promotion of Higher Competition (sworn in on October 3, 2017) |
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Nívio Leite Magalhães (PD) | State Secretary for Youth and Labor (sworn in on October 3, 2017) |
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André da Costa Belo (L4) (PLP, suspended from the party) | State Secretary for Veterans (sworn in on October 3, 2017) |
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Laura Pina Menezes Lopez Belo | State Secretary for Equality and Social Inclusion (sworn in on October 3, 2017) |
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b SAPO: VII Governo constitucional de Timor-Leste toma hoje posse incompleto , September 15, 2017 , accessed on September 15, 2017.
- ↑ Timor Agora: Deputadu Foun Balun Komesa Falta , September 13, 2017 , accessed on September 13, 2017.
- ↑ Tatoli: KHUNTO Koopera ho Partdu Koligasaun , September 13, 2017 , accessed on September 13, 2017.
- ↑ Diário de Notícias: PR timorense assina novo decreto de nomeação membros do Governo, mais duas mulheres , October 2, 2017 , accessed on October 2, 2017.
- ↑ Diário de Notícias: Presidente timorense nomeia quatro últimos membros do Governo , October 13, 2017 , accessed on October 13, 2017.
- ↑ Diário de Notícias: PR timorense empossa últimos cinco membros do VII Governo constitucional , October 17, 2017 , accessed on October 17, 2017.
- ↑ Diário de Notícias: Oposição timorense oferece a PR "alternativa" se Programa do Governo for chumbado , October 6, 2017 , accessed on October 8, 2017.
- ↑ GMN-TV: PLP no KHUNTO forma bloku AOMP kontrola Governu , October 7, 2017 , accessed on October 8, 2017.
- ↑ Timor Agora: CPN-PLP Suspende 'Sama La Rua' Cs , October 11, 2017 , accessed on October 13, 2017.
- ↑ Tafara.tl: Partidu Tolu Asina Plataforma Aliansa Maioria Parliamentary , October 12, 2017 , accessed on October 12, 2017.
- ↑ Sapo: Executivo timorense reforça medidas de segurança após rejeição do Programa de Governo , October 19, 2017 , accessed on October 19, 2017.
- ↑ a b c d Rui Graça Feijó: Timor-Leste: is Díli on (Political) Fire Again? , Presidental Power, December 11, 2017 , accessed December 11, 2017.
- ↑ Lusa: Presidente do Parlamento timorense recusa-se a indicar data de debate de pedido de destituição , May 8, 2020 , accessed on May 8, 2020.
- ^ East Timor Law and Justice Bulletin: Legal and political news from East Timor (Timor-Leste) in English , accessed December 12, 2017.
- ↑ Diário de Notícias: Presidente do parlamento timorense dá 30 dias ao Governo para reapresentar programa , December 18, 2017 , accessed on December 18, 2017.
- ↑ Sapo: Mari Alkatiri diz que vai desmontar moção de censura “sem mérito” da oposição , January 18, 2018 , accessed on January 18, 2018.
- ↑ Raimundos Oki: East Timor parliament rejects government budget second time , The Washington Post, December 20, 2017. , accessed December 21, 2017.
- ^ President of East Timor: MESSAGE OF HE THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC , January 26, 2018 , accessed on January 26, 2018.
- ↑ UCA news: Democracy under attack in Timor-Leste , January 26, 2018 , accessed on January 26, 2018.
- ^ Lao Hamutuk: Members of the VII Government (English, tetum) , accessed October 18, 2017.
East Timor’s Cabinet (1975) | I. Transitional Government (2000–2001) | II. Transitional Government (2001–2002) | I. Government (2002-2006) | II. Government (2006-2007) | III. Government (2007) | IV. Government (2007–2012) | V. Government (2012–2015) | VI. Government (2015-2017) | VII. Government (2017-2018) | VIII. Government (since 2018)