This book details the political history of Timor-Leste, both preceding and following its declaration of independence.

Foreword: Revisiting a success story with critical eyesChapter 1: Democracy in the 21st century: lineages and configurations of an impure conceptChapter 2: Assessing the odds: could Timor-Leste become a Democracy?Chapter 3: Constitutionalism Old and New in the ?UN Kingdom? of Timor-LesteChapter 4: Elections in a Young Democracy: popular voice and control.Chapter 5: Semi-presidentialism with 'independent' presidents: political inclusiveness and democratic consolidationChapter 6: Grassroots Democracy: building a decentralized state where worlds meetEpilogue: After 2012: new challenges to the consolidation of Democracy