Dili, June 12, 2025 (Média Democracia) – The European Union (EU) has deployed an Electoral Accompaniment Mission (EAM) to the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste from 26 May to 21 June 2025 to assess progress on electoral reforms and their implementation. The press conference took place at Hotel Timor, Dili.
EU Chief Observer, Domènec Ruiz Devesa, stated that the mission aims to evaluate the progress made in the implementation of electoral reforms and the recommendations issued by the 2022 EU Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) and the 2022 Electoral Expert Mission (EEM).
“The EAM and the EU greatly appreciate the positive relations and friendly atmosphere during meetings with key electoral stakeholders, including the President of the National Parliament, the National Electoral Commission, the Technical Secretariat for Electoral Administration, relevant state institutions, political parties, civil society, media representatives, and development partners,” said Chief Observer Devesa.
He added that on 11 June, the mission organized a roundtable with electoral stakeholders to discuss the progress made so far in implementing the 2022 EU EOM and 2023 EEM recommendations and the current status of electoral reform.
“The ongoing decentralization process is a welcome step toward deepening democracy in Timor-Leste. The biometric update of the electoral register, including for persons with disabilities, is a positive measure. However, we note there has been no concrete progress in implementing the recommendations made by the 2022 EU EOM and 2023 EEM,” he emphasized.
Most interlocutors also agreed on the urgency of starting work on reviewing the electoral framework. The EU EOM 2022 and EEM 2023 issued 16 and 13 recommendations respectively, including five priority recommendations to improve the legal framework and electoral processes in Timor-Leste.
“With two years before the 2027 presidential elections and three years before the 2028 legislative elections, there is a valuable window of opportunity for comprehensive and effective legal reform. I urge the government and all stakeholders to accelerate this process,” Devesa stated.
He highlighted recommendations regarding the consistent consultation of the National Electoral Commission when drafting the regulatory framework for elections, strengthening campaign oversight capacity, and revising campaign finance rules as key to enhancing transparency and ensuring equal opportunity for all candidates.
Devesa further underlined the importance of transparency in the electoral reform process, as well as the inclusion and cooperation of all electoral actors, including civil society organizations. The EU remains committed to advocating for electoral reforms in Timor-Leste. The final report from the Electoral Accompaniment Mission will follow.
Report: Domingas
Photo: Domingas