President of East Timor

President of East Timor Template:Lang-pt Template:Lang-tet
Coat of arms of East Timor
File:President Taur Matan Ruak.jpg Incumbent Taur Matan Ruak since 20 May 2012
Term length	Five years
Inaugural holder	Francisco Xavier do Amaral
Formation	28 November 1975

The President of East Timor – officially the President of the Democratic Republic of East Timor (Template:Lang-pt, Template:Lang-tet) – is the head of state in East Timor, elected by popular vote for a five-year term. His executive powers are somewhat limited, though he is able to veto legislation. Following elections, the president usually appoints as the prime minister, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition. As head of government the prime minister presides over the cabinet.

List of Presidents of East Timor

Presidents of East Timor during War for Independence

  Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (FRETILIN)

№	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of Office		Party
style="background:Template:Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor/meta/color; color:white;" | 1		Francisco Xavier do Amaral (1937–2012)	28 November 1975	7 December 1975	FRETILIN
style="background:Template:Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor/meta/color; color:white;" | —		Nicolau dos Reis Lobato (1946–1978) Acting President	7 December 1975	31 December 1978	FRETILIN

Presidents of the Democratic Republic of East Timor

  National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT)
  Democratic Party (PD)

№	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of Office		Party
style="background:Template:Independent (politician)/meta/color; color:black;" | 1		Xanana Gusmão (1946–)	20 May 2002	20 May 2007	Independent
style="background:Template:Independent (politician)/meta/color; color:black;" | 2		José Ramos-Horta (1949–)	20 May 2007	20 May 2012	Independent
style="background:Template:National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction/meta/color; color:white;" | —		Vicente Guterres (1955–) Acting President	11 February 2008	13 February 2008	CNRT
style="background:Template:Democratic Party (East Timor)/meta/color; color:white;" | —		Fernando de Araújo (1963–2015) Acting President	13 February 2008	17 April 2008	PD
style="background:Template:Independent (politician)/meta/color; color:black;" | 3	File:President Taur Matan Ruak.jpg	Taur Matan Ruak (1956–)	20 May 2012	Incumbent	Independent

Latest election

Main article: East Timorese presidential election, 2012

See also

• List of colonial heads of Portuguese Timor
• Prime Minister of East Timor
• Lists of office-holders