IDEA: The Role of Constitution-Building Processes in Democratization - Case Study East Timor

The process leading to independence for Timor-Leste proved to be primarily a process of legitimising the outcome of a conflict already over. Writing and adopting a constitution would provide the ground rules for current and future struggles. It would have little to do with the previous conflict whoseend had created the opening for a constitution building process in Timor-Leste. While a necessary step in achieving formal independence, the constitution building process proved to be less a process of conflict resolution than a stage for the contest for power in Timor-Leste.