Bonaire constitutional referendum, 2010

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A constitutional referendum was held in Bonaire on 17 December 2010. The new constitution would make the island a municipality within the Netherlands. Although the results showed 87% had voted against the new status, [1] the referendum had required a 51% turnout and was subsequently declared invalid as the actual turnout was only 35%. [2]

Bonaire Special municipality of the Netherlands

Bonaire is an island in the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. Its capital is Kralendijk, located near the ocean on the lee side of the island. Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao form the ABC islands located less than one hundred miles northwest of Venezuela. Unlike much of the Caribbean region, the ABC islands lie outside Hurricane Alley. The islands have an arid climate that attracts visitors seeking warm, sunny weather year round. Bonaire is a popular snorkeling and scuba diving destination because of its multiple shore diving sites and easy access to the island's fringing reefs.

Netherlands Constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Europe

The Netherlands is a country located mainly in Northwestern Europe. The European portion of the Netherlands consists of twelve separate provinces that border Germany to the east, Belgium to the south, and the North Sea to the northwest, with maritime borders in the North Sea with Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom. Together with three island territories in the Caribbean Sea—Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba— it forms a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The official language is Dutch, but a secondary official language in the province of Friesland is West Frisian.

Contents

Background

The Netherlands Antilles was scheduled to cease to exist on 10 October 2010. [3] Under the current terms of the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles, Bonaire will become a fully integrated municipality within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. [4] This may be changed should voters choose to become an associated state within the Netherlands instead. [5]

Dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles

The Netherlands Antilles was an autonomous Caribbean country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was dissolved on 10 October 2010.

Municipality An administrative division having corporate status and usually some powers of self-government or jurisdiction

A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. It is to be distinguished (usually) from the county, which may encompass rural territory or numerous small communities such as towns, villages and hamlets.

Kingdom of the Netherlands Sovereign state in Europe and the Caribbean

The Kingdom of the Netherlands, commonly known as the Netherlands, is a sovereign state and constitutional monarchy with the large majority of its territory in Western Europe and with several small island territories in the Caribbean Sea, in the West Indies islands.

The referendum was called after a government changeover from the Bonaire Patriotic Union (UPB), led by Ramonsito Booi, to the Bonaire Democratic Alliance (ADB), led by Jopie Abraham. The referendum was a key point of contention between the two parties. [6] The succession was triggered by the departure of Anthony Nicolaas from the ruling coalition, an act which is being investigated as being a result of corruption. [7]

The Bonaire Patriotic Union is a political party in Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands. At the legislative elections in the Netherlands Antilles, 18 January 2002, the party won 3.6% of the popular vote and 2 out of 22 seats. At the elections in the Netherlands Antilles of 27 January 2006, the party won again 2 out of 22 seats. It's a member of the CDI.

The Bonaire Democratic Party is a political party in Bonaire, the former Netherlands Antilles. It was founded in 1954 by Julio Antonio Abraham. At the legislative elections in the Netherlands Antilles, 18 January 2002, the party won 2.6% of the popular vote and 1 out of 22 Parliament seats. At the elections of 27 January 2006, the party kept 1 seat. Of the total turnout, the party got 45% of the votes. The Democratic Party of Bonaire is a progressive social-democratic party that stands for expanded autonomy for the island of Bonaire. On March 18, 2015 the party got 3 of the 9 seats available and formed the government with the UPB.

The enabling legislation decided that the referendum should be worded "Ik wil dat Bonaire een rechtstreekse band met Nederland zal hebben in de vorm van A. Associatie (Bonaire krijgt een eigenstandige positie binnen het Koninkrijk) of B. Integratie (Bonaire wordt deel van Nederland)" [8] (I desire that Bonaire shall have a direct tie with the Netherlands in the form of A: Association (Bonaire holds an independent position inside the Kingdom) or B: Integration (Bonaire becomes a part of the Netherlands)).

The set date for the referendum was originally set as 15 January 2010, exactly one week before the Netherlands Antilles general election. [5] The date was chosen so it would not conflict with the general election. [5] Other dates originally considered for the referendum were 11 December 2009, and 19 March 2010. [5] The referendum did not take place on January 15, and was rescheduled to 26 March 2010 before being cancelled. [9]

The Netherlands indicated that it would not cooperate if the referendum favors free association, stating "that the only alternative to the process of integration currently in execution was independence". [10] Previously agreed upon payments from the Kingdom to Bonaire have been placed on hold pending the outcome of the referendum. [11]

Results

ChoiceVotes%
For39111.79
Against2,87986.85
Blank451.36
Invalid votes99–
Total3,414100
Registered voters/turnout9,69835.20
Source: Direct Democracy

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References

  1. ↑ Bonaire, 17 December 2010: Bonaire as a municipality of the Netherlands Direct Democracy (in German)
  2. ↑ "The Referendum That Wasn't" (PDF). The Bonaire Reporter. The Bonaire Reporter. 2010-12-31. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
  3. ↑ "Netherlands Antilles to cease to exist as a country". Radio Netherlands Worldwide . NRC Handelsblad. 2009-10-01. Retrieved 2009-10-21.[ permanent dead link ]
  4. ↑ "Dutch Antilles go to polls". NRC Handelsblad . 2010-01-22. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Bonaire referendum week before election". Netherlands Antilles Daily Herald . 2009-10-19. Archived from the original on October 22, 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
  6. ↑ "Oppositie Bonaire start 'afzettingsprocedure' tegen UPB-gedeputeerden". Radio Nederland Wereldomroep. Radio Nederland Wereldomroep. 2009-10-30. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
  7. ↑ "Investigation ordered into Bonaire corruption report". The Daily Herald . The Daily Herald St. Maarten. 2009-10-30. Archived from the original on January 12, 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-08.
  8. ↑ "Referendum over toekomst Bonaire". nu.nl. Sanoma Digital. 2010-01-30. Retrieved 2010-01-30.
  9. ↑ "Duncan: cabinet division should be proportional". The Daily Herald . The Daily Herald St. Maarten. 2010-01-28. Retrieved 2010-01-28.[ dead link ]
  10. ↑ "Bijleveld-Schouten says 'No' to Bonaire free association". The Daily Herald . The Daily Herald St. Maarten. 2009-10-30. Archived from the original on November 2, 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-08.
  11. ↑ "Support in Dutch Parliament to cease payments to Bonaire". The Daily Herald . The Daily Herald St. Maarten. 2010-01-04. Archived from the original on January 6, 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-05.
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