2025 Timor-Leste protests
| 2025 Timor-Leste protests | |
|---|---|
| Part of Asian Spring | |
 Protests in Dili | |
| Date | 15–17 September 2025 (3 days) |
| Location | |
| Caused by | Proposed US$4 million budget to buy 65 new cars for members of parliament |
| Goals | Cancellation of MPs' new car purchase |
| Methods | Demonstration Student activism Vandalism |
| Resulted in |
|
| Casualties | |
| Injuries | 4 |
In September 2025, student-led protests were held in Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste, against the National Parliament's decision to purchase SUVs for legislators at a cost of US$4 million. The demonstrators' demands soon expanded to calling for the cancellation of lifetime pensions for former MPs. After three days of demonstrations, student leaders and parliament reached an agreement, ending the protests.
On 15 September 2025, more than 1,000 people, mostly university students from Dili, gathered in front of parliament to demonstrate. Police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets, injuring four people, after some protestors threw stones towards the parliament building. Later that day, three parties within the ruling coalition—the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT), the Democratic Party (PD), and Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan (KHUNTO)—announced that they would ask parliament to cancel the purchase of cars for MPs.
More than 2,000 demonstrators returned to the streets the following day, with their demands expanding to call for the cancellation of the lifetime pensions provided to former lawmakers. Later that day, parliament voted unanimously to cancel the plan to purchase new cars. On September 17, a third day of demonstrations concluded with an agreement between protest leaders and parliament that the pensions for former MPs would be canceled and, in return, the demonstrations would conclude.
Background
[edit]Timor-Leste, an independent state since 2002, is one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia, with an oil-dependent economy and high levels of inequality, malnutrition, and unemployment.[1][2][3][4] More than 40% of the population lives in poverty.[1][3][5] Ninety percent of Timor-Leste's national income comes from its Petroleum Fund, which was valued at US$18.27 billion in 2024 but is depleting rapidly.[3]
Members of the National Parliament of Timor-Leste have an annual salary of US$36,000 as of 2023, more than 10 times the average income, estimated in 2021 at $3,000.[4] Under a law passed in 2006, former MPs are entitled to a lifetime pension equivalent to their salary.[5] Lawmakers also receive free cars to be used as official work vehicles.[4] According to Article 12 of Law No. 5/2004 on the Statute of Members of Parliament, East Timor's Members of Parliament are entitled to promotion to carry out parliamentary duties and to conduct electoral contacts.[6]
Since the 2000s, there have been recurring demonstrations against MPs' free vehicles, and in 2008 police arrested several students who were protesting a planned $1 million purchase of new cars for lawmakers that year.[4] Official vehicles were last purchased for members of the National Parliament in 2020. Back then, in November 2018, there were demonstrations by the Movimento Universitario de Timor Leste (MUTL) against the purchase of new Toyota Prados. Twenty-two demonstrators were temporarily arrested, and the police (PNTL) used tear gas.[7]
In late August 2025, the National Parliament approved a $4 million purchase of 65 Toyota Prado SUVs, at a cost of $61,500 per vehicle, for each member of parliament.[1][2][3][5] President of Parliament Maria Fernanda Lay stated that the decision to purchase the cars had been made because "all the [MPs'] vehicles have already broken down."[3] However, a Diligente report indicate that the old vehicles were still largely roadworthy when Parliament announced the purchase of new Toyota Prados for all members of parliament for $4.225 million in June/July 2025.[8] A contract was expected to be signed in September, with the vehicles to be delivered before the end of the year.[5][9]
The plan was criticized by opposition parties and civil society groups as extravagant during a time of economic uncertainty in Timor-Leste.[3] The leader of the opposition People's Liberation Party (PLP), Maria Angelina Lopes Sarmento, disputed Lay's claim that legislators' existing cars were all broken down, telling reporters that "some are still in working condition, and others need repairs.[3] Student groups also denounced the decision, including the National Resistance of East Timorese Students, which said members of parliament should be "ashamed of this move."[3]
In August-September 2025, students in Indonesia demonstrated for the abolition of privileges for parliamentarians. Among other things, provincial parliament buildings was set on fire during the protests with several people died.[10] President Prabowo Subianto announced in early September that privileges would be abolished.[11] At the same time, the protests in Nepal were became increasingly violent.[12] Both protest movements were primarily driven by Generation Z.
According to the 2022 census, 64.6% of the country's 1.3 million inhabitants are under 30 years old.[13] Generation Z in East Timor faces a certain disillusionment after the euphoria of the first years of independence. Schools in the public system are poorly funded, while private schools are reserved for the elite. Each year, over 15,000 secondary school students and more than 4,000 university graduates enter the labor market, which offers few opportunities, leading almost half of young Timorese to plan to emigrate abroad, mainly to Australia, South Korea, or the United Kingdom.[14] Protest fervour among Gen-Z in Asia later spread the propagation of protests to Timor Leste within the Asian Spring.
Protests
[edit]On Monday, 15 September 2025, more than 1,000 people, mostly university students from Dili, Timor-Leste's capital, gathered in front of the National Parliament of Timor-Leste to rally against the legislature's plan to purchase 65 Toyota Prado SUVs for each member of parliament.[1][2] The protest coincided with the opening ceremony of the third legislative session of the Sixth Legislature of the National Parliament.[2] The demonstrators were initially peaceful, but later began throwing stones and other objects at the parliament building, damaging several cars.[1][2][5] Police responded by dispersing the demonstration with tear gas and rubber bullets, injuring four protestors, who were taken to a nearby medical clinic.[1][2] An official with the National Police of Timor-Leste said that authorities would demand responsibility for the damage from the protest coordinators.[1]
Later that day, the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT), the Democratic Party (PD), and Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan (KHUNTO)—all members of the ruling coalition—released a joint statement saying that they would ask parliament to cancel the purchase as it "did not reflect public interest."[1][2] CNRT vice president Patrocínio Fernandes explained that the parties had originally supported the purchase due to the deteriorating condition of lawmakers' existing vehicles, but changed their stance due to public opposition.[9]
The following day, Tuesday, September 16, more than 2,000 demonstrators again gathered outside the National Parliament, vowing to continue protesting until the plan to purchase cars was formally canceled by lawmakers.[2] Some protestors set a government vehicle on fire, burned tires, and threw rocks at the parliament building and police officers, who responded with tear gas.[2][4][5] Later that day, the National Parliament voted to cancel the purchase of new vehicles with Resolution No. 19/2025, supported unanimously by all 57 members present.[9] The parliamentary secretary announced a resolution instructing the legislature's general secretariat to "adopt administrative and financial measures aimed at maintenance and efficient use" of parliament's existing fleet of cars and to continue using its current vehicles.[4][5][9][15]
On Wednesday, September 17, an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 demonstrators once again returned to the streets in Dili to protest.[4][15] By then, the protestors' goals had expanded to include calls for abolishing lifetime pensions provided to former members of parliament.[4][5][15] Later that day, members of parliament reached an agreement with the student protest leaders to cancel their lifetime pensions, with the students in return agreeing to cease their demonstrations.[15] In a statement, parliament announced it would take steps to annul the relevant law.[5] Cristóvão Mato, a representative of the student demonstrators, said "If they don't comply with the agreement, we will hold bigger protests."[5]
Reactions
[edit]Domestic
[edit]Tatoli, the state news agency, described cancellation of the purchase of vehicles as "a rare parliamentary retreat under public pressure, highlighting the growing influence of student activism on national policymaking" in Timor-Leste.[9]
On the second day of demonstrations, President José Ramos-Horta told reporters that there would be "no tolerance" of violence by demonstrators, stating, "You can hold demonstrations to protest the government, parliament when they do wrong, but you must not resort to violence."[2][5] The same day, leader of the opposition Fretilin party, Aniceto Guterres Lopes, thanked the student protestors and noted that his party had presented a proposal to remove the funding earmarked for the purchase of cars for MPs when it was first proposed during state budget discussions in parliament in November 2024, but was overruled by the governing coalition.[2] He stated: "Fretilin's position has always been clear. We wanted to eliminate this budget because there are other priorities... the people face many shortcomings that need to be addressed."[2] The opposition People's Liberation Party (PLP) leader, Maria Angelina Lopes Sarmento, criticized the CNRT and PD for deciding to cancel the purchase of MPs' vehicles only after the students' demonstration, and recalled that the PLP, like Fretilin, had opposed the move when it was first proposed during initial budget discussions.[2][9] Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão was away from Timor-Leste on a trip to London during the protests.[5]
See also
[edit]- Santa Cruz massacre
- 2025 in Timor-Leste
- 2025 Indonesian protests
- 2025 Nepalese Gen Z protests
- Asian Spring
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h "Police clash with protesters in Timor-Leste as new car plan sparks anger". ABC News. 15 September 2025. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "E. Timor police clash with protesters over plan to buy vehicles for MPs". France 24. 16 September 2025. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Critics slam $4m budget for MP vehicles in hungry Timor-Leste". UCA News. 27 August 2025. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Ewe, Koh; Ng, Kelly (17 September 2025). "Timor-Leste scraps plan to buy MPs free cars after protests". BBC. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Timor-Leste to scrap MP pensions and SUVs after protests". CNA. 17 September 2025. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
- ^ Sousa, Nelson de (16 September 2025). "Parlamentu aprova ho unanimidade rezolusaun ba kanselamentu sosa viatura foun". TATOLI Agência Noticiosa de Timor-Leste. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
- ^ Michael Leach: In Timor-Leste, an eventful year ends in tension, 14. Dezember 2018, abgerufen am 22. Dezember 2018.
- ^ Viana, Rilijanto (15 September 2025). "Manifestação trava compra de viaturas, mas protesto acaba em confrontos". DILIGENTE (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 24 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f de Sousa, Camilio (16 September 2025). "Timor-Leste Parliament Cancels Vehicle Purchase After Student Protests". TATOLI Agência Noticiosa de Timor-Leste. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
- ^ "Brandanschläge auf das Parlament in Indonesien – Präsident sagt Chinareise ab". spiegel.de. 30 August 2025. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
- ^ "Indonesien streicht Privilegien für Abgeordnete nach Protesten". spiegel.de. 1 September 2025. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
- ^ Peter Hornung. "Nepals neue Premierministerin: Juristin soll Nepal in ruhigere Zeiten führen" (in German). Retrieved 15 September 2025.
- ^ RTP: Nova geração que já nasceu em democracia está a surgir em Timor-Leste, 19. September 2025, abgerufen am 23. September 2025.
- ^ Ato "Lekinawa" da Costa: The Digital Generation Rising: Gen Z and Activism in Timor-Leste, Neon Metin Online, 17. September 2025, abgerufen am 21. September 2025.
- ^ a b c d Da Cruz, Nelson (17 September 2025). "East Timor lawmakers agree to scrap lawmaker pension allowances that sparked student protests". Reuters. Retrieved 17 September 2025.