Democracy in Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste has since 1999 been going through one of the most extensive processes of post-conflict peacebuilding undertaken by the United Nations up till today. Post-conflict peacebuilding entails comprehensive rebuilding of states emerging from violent conflict and aims to establish democracy and market economy. This thesis examines the state of democracy in Timor-Leste today, after almost ten years of post-conflict peacebuilding. The analysis is based on the theory of the five arenas of consolidated democracies by Linz and Stepan, and Diamond. The findings of the thesis are that the current Timorese society suffers from many problems related to democracy. All five arenas, political society, civil society, rule of law, bureaucracy and economic society are quite frail and are still in much need of support from the United Nations and others. The fragility of the rule of law poses a major obstacle to further democratic development, as do the lack of a functioning bureaucracy and economic growth. Although the presidential and legislative elections held since 1999 have been somewhat successful the political society suffers from problems to adapt to democratic norms of government