(AseanAll)  — Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão met on October 28^th, 2026, at the Government Palace in Dili with the Ambassador of the European Union to Timor-Leste, Thorsten Bargfrede, and a delegation from the European Union Exploratory Mission to discuss preparations for the presidential elections scheduled for March 2027 and the potential deployment of an EU Election Observation Mission.

The Minister of State Administration, Tomás do Rosário Cabral, also attended, providing an opportunity to review the national electoral system and the ongoing preparations for the upcoming poll. The exploratory mission comprises specialists in political, legal, logistical, and security affairs.

The delegation is in Timor-Leste to assess the conditions for deploying an EU Election Observation Mission for the 2027 presidential elections, following an invitation to the European Union to observe the electoral process. As part of this assessment, the delegation is consulting with national institutions and other electoral stakeholders.

Before meeting the Prime Minister, the delegation met with representatives of civil society, political parties, and the media to gather perspectives on the electoral process.

The visit comes amid preparations for the next electoral cycle and an ongoing review of the electoral legal framework. On October 21^st, the Council of Ministers approved four draft laws presented by the Minister of State Administration to amend the Municipal Electoral Law, the Electoral Registration Law, the National Parliament Electoral Law, and the Presidential Electoral Law.

The proposed amendments aim to update and harmonise electoral procedures, modernise the voter registration system, and facilitate the exercise of voting rights. Measures include improving accessibility for persons with disabilities through Braille ballot paper templates; extending voting hours at overseas polling stations to 20:00 for presidential and parliamentary elections; and advancing the digitisation of voter registration through electronic forms, biometric data collection, and enhanced security features on voter cards, including QR codes.

The proposals also provide for the establishment of electoral registration commissions in countries where Timor-Leste lacks diplomatic representation, as well as for modifications to candidate nomination requirements and to the organisation of polling centres and polling stations.

The European Union regularly monitors electoral processes in Timor-Leste. In 2025, an EU Electoral Follow-up Mission visited the country to assess progress on electoral reform and the implementation of recommendations from the 2022 EU Election Observation Mission and the 2023 EU Election Expert Mission.

Preparations for the 2027 presidential elections also include voter registration and updating the biometric electoral database, both domestically and among Timorese communities abroad.