ABSTRACT
The presidential elections were held in two rounds: the first round took place on 17 March 2012, and since no candidate won more than 50 per cent of the vote, a second round was held on 16 April 2012. Parliamentary elections were held on 7 July and marked the third time that voters went to the polls in four months, with no fewer than eighteen parties and three coalitions competing for seats in the 65-seat national parliament. International observers labelled the 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections as largely free and fair. Political leaders and the people have largely abided by the rules of the democratic game, and the elections were relatively peaceful compared with previous elections. Two incidents during Gusmos government period are worth mentioning, as they undermined the independence of the judiciary in East Timor. To be sure, an independent judiciary branch is essential for checking executive and legislative breaches of the constitutional order.
