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Constitutional Law in Timor-Leste

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An Introduction to Constitutional Law in Timor-Leste USAID The Asia Foundation Timor-Leste Legal Education Project Timor-Leste Timor-Leste Stanford Law School Sergio Veira De Mello Rd Rua De Nu Laran, No. 20 Crown Quadrangle Lighthouse Area, Farol Bairro Dos Grillos 559 Nathan Abbott Way Dili, Timor-Leste Dili, Timor-Leste Stanford, CA 94305-8610 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iii INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 I. WHAT IS CONSTITUTIONAL LAW? ............................................................................ 1 II. OVERVIEW OF THE TEXTBOOK .................................................................................. 3 CHAPTER ONE: THE PRESIDENCY.......................................................................................... 4 CHAPTER OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................ 4 I. THE ROLE OF THE PRESIDENT .................................................................................... 5 II. POWERS AND DUTIES ................................................................................................. 10 III. THE ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT ..................................................................... 27 IV. RESIGNATION OR REMOVAL OF A PRESIDENT ................................................ 33 CHAPTER TWO: THE GOVERNMENT ................................................................................... 39 CHAPTER OVERVIEW .......................................................................................................... 39 I. THE HISTORY OF THE OFFICE OF PRIME MINISTER............................................ 41 II. SELECTION ..................................................................................................................... 44 III. THE ROLE OF THE PRIME MINISTER ................................................................... 49 IV. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE PRIME MINISTER ............................................ 56 V. CONSTRAINTS ON THE PRIME MINISTER’S POWER ............................................ 64 VI. LEAVING OFFICE ...................................................................................................... 76 VII. DEPUTY PRIME MINISTERS ................................................................................... 80 VIII. MINISTRIES ................................................................................................................ 84 i CHAPTER THREE: THE JUDICIARY ...................................................................................... 91 CHAPTER OVERVIEW .......................................................................................................... 91 I. THE ROLE OF THE JUDICIARY .................................................................................. 92 II. JUDGES ............................................................................................................................ 94 III. TYPES OF COURTS ................................................................................................. 102 IV. SUPERIOR COUNCIL FOR THE MAGISTRACY ................................................. 111 CHAPTER FOUR: THE NATIONAL PARLIAMENT ............................................................ 116 CHAPTER OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................ 116 I. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 118 II. COMPOSITION ............................................................................................................. 121 III. POWERS .................................................................................................................... 188 IV. LIMITS ....................................................................................................................... 207 GLOSSARY ........................................................................................................................... 222 ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Timor-Leste has much to be proud of in the wake of highly successful, fully democratic presidential and parliamentary elections earlier this year. Over the last decade, Timor-Leste has made significant progress in building a legal system and broader state committed to the values in the Constitution. But the work of state building requires at least two more decades of commitment to installing the institutions, norms and values enshrined in Timor-Leste’s Constitution. This volume illuminates how the state is supposed to function under the Constitution and other foundational laws. Constitutional law examines the fundamental rules and principles that govern the structure and organization of the state. Central to this constitutional structure in Timor-Leste are the political bodies, their competencies, and the relationships between the four sovereign organs: President of the Republic, National Parliament, Government, and the Courts. The performance of the state hinges on these institutions performing well, and not exceeding their legally authorized mandate. It is important for students to have a strong understanding of constitutional law in order to have a full appreciation for the limits and possibilities of the state. An Introduction to Constitutional Law in Timor-Leste is the third law textbook produced by the Timor-Leste Legal Education Project (TLLEP) to critically engage the reader in thinking about the laws and legal institutions of Timor-Leste. Founded in March of 2010, TLLEP is a partnership between The Asia Foundation and Stanford Law School funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Access to Justice Program. The project’s goal is to institutionalize ways for local actors, in close partnership with The Asia Foundation, Stanford Law School, and USAID, to positively contribute to the development of domestic legal education and training in Timor-Leste. In addition to An Introduction to Constitutional Law in Timor-Leste, An Introduction to Contract Law in Timor-Leste, and An Introduction to Professional Responsibility in Timor-Leste, TLLEP has completed a draft of An Introduction to the Law of Timor-Leste textbook. All texts are updated as the legal landscape changes. The most recent version in all three languages is always available for download online free of charge on TLLEP’s website: www.tllep.stanford.edu. iii The textbooks receive vital input from the National University of Timor-Leste (UNTL) faculty and staff throughout the drafting and review process including comments from Rector Aurelio Guterres, Law Dean Tomé Xavier Jerónimo, Professor Benjamin Corte Real, Professor Mieko Morikawa, Professor Maria Ângela Carrascalão, and Vasco Fitas da Cruz of the Portuguese Corporation. As always, the feedback from UNTL students on draft text was immensely helpful for the final text. As with other texts in the series, An Introduction to Constitutional Law in Timor-Leste focuses on writing in clear, concise prose, and on using locally rooted hypothetical legal situations, discussion questions, and current events. Through this style of writing and pedagogy, the aim is to make these texts accessible to the largest possible audience. Published in Tetum, Portuguese, and English, all of the texts are designed to be broadly accessible to experienced East Timorese lawyers and judges, government officials, members of civil society, East Timorese students of law, and the international community. The primary authors of An Introduction to Constitutional Law in Timor-Leste are Alexander Weber (Stanford Law School ‘12) and Kevin Lo (‘11) with advice from Dennys Antonialli (LLM ‘11). Geoffrey Swenson (‘09), TLLEP’s in-country director and Access to Justice Law Program Manager for The Asia Foundation’s Dili office played a crucial role in every aspect of the textbook’s creation. Portuguese lawyer and former advisor to the National Parliament Ana Mónica Carvalho reviewed the texts to ensure their accuracy in both English and Portuguese and provided institutional context. Timotio de Deus likewise worked to ensure the Tetum version was technically correct. Attorney Kathryn Blair (‘11) and Hogan Lovells provided invaluable pro bono assistance in preparing these materials. USAID Timor-Leste’s financial and programmatic support has made the entire endeavor possible. Indeed, USAID staff has been vital to the program’s ultimate success, particularly USAID Mission Director Rick Scott, Ana Guterres, Peter Cloutier, and Germano da Costa Boavida. The US Embassy in Dili, especially Ambassador Judith Fergin, has been immensely supportive. The program has also received extensive support from Access to Justice Chief of Party Kerry Brogan, Country Representative Silas Everett, Deputy Country Representative Susan Marx, Legal Officer Julião de Deus Fatima, Program Assistant Gaspar H. da Silva, Program Associate Carrick Flynn, and a host of other Asia Foundation staff. During his summer in Dili, iv Brian Hoffman (‘13) also provided assistance with nearly every aspect of the text. I also thank former Dean Larry Kramer of Stanford Law School for his unwavering support of this project since its inception as well as Dean Liz Magill, who recently assumed the deanship, for her support of the
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