EXPLORING DECENTRALIZATION IN TIMOR-LESTE
In 1999, a UN-sponsored referendum was held in which the Timorese people gained independence from Indonesia. Following independence, The Asia Foundation managed election programs and assisted in drafting Timor's new constitution. Since then, Timor-Leste has worked to build new governing institutions, balancing the challenge of building a centralized state while delegating authority locally. Recently, the Council of Ministers approved four draft laws on decentralization. While they still call for a strong central government, according to the new Constitution, "on matters of territorial organization, the State shall respect the principle of decentralization of public administration." Scores of hopeful local officials attended public meetings on the bills, reporting it was the largest turnout for any such hearing in Timor-Leste to date. Read more on our blog.
