Martinique is an island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the eastern Caribbean Sea. A part of the French West Indies (Antilles), Martinique is an overseas department and region and a single territorial collectivity of the French Republic. It is a part of the European Union as an outermost region within the special territories of members of the European Economic Area, and an associate member of the CARICOM, but is not part of the Schengen Area or the European Union Customs Union. The currency in use is the euro.
Fort-de-France is a commune and the capital city of Martinique, an overseas department and region of France located in the Caribbean.
Martinique is a Single territorial collectivity of France. Martinique elects one deputy to the national assembly from each of four constituencies. It elects on regional/départemental level a legislature, called the Assembly of Martinique, by proportional representation from each of the national assembly constituencies.
The Corsican Assembly or Assembly of Corsica is the unicameral legislative body of the territorial collectivity of Corsica. It has its seat at the Grand Hôtel d'Ajaccio et Continental, in the Corsican capital of Ajaccio. After the 2017 territorial elections, the assembly was expanded from 51 to 63 seats, with the executive council expanding from 9 to 11 members.
The Martinican Independence Movement or MIM is a left-wing political party in the overseas department of Martinique, founded July 1, 1978 by Alfred Marie-Jeanne with the aim of securing "the decolonization and independence of Martinique". Its secretary is the deputy and president of the Regional Council of Martinique. It has one seat in the French National Assembly.
The flag of Martinique consists of a red triangle at the hoist, with two horizontal bands, the upper green and the lower black. It was adopted on 2 February 2023. The flag of France, its parent country, is also flown with official standing due to Martinique's status as a French overseas department and region. The assembly of Martinique flies a flag with the collectivity's logo on it to represent the government.
Alfred Marie-Jeanne is a French politician, a leader in the Martinican Independence Movement (MIM) since 1978. He served as mayor of the commune of Rivière-Pilote from 1971 to 2000 and served as President of the Regional Council of Martinique from March 20, 1998, to March 22, 2010. Alfred Marie-Jeanne represented Martinique's 1st constituency in the French National Assembly from 2012 to 2017. He was succeeded in this constituency by Josette Manin.
The Martinican Progressive Party is a democratic socialist political party in Martinique. It was founded on March 22, 1958 by poet Aimé Césaire after breaking off from the French Communist Party. The party favours the autonomy of Martinique within France, unlike the nationalist Martinican Independence Movement (MIM). The party has one seat in the French National Assembly, currently held by Serge Letchimy, deputy from Fort-de-France.
The Martinican Communist Party is a political party in the French département d'outre-mer of Martinique. Georges Erichot is the general secretary of the party.
Serge Letchimy is the President of the Executive Council of Martinique and former member of the National Assembly of France. He represents the island of Martinique's 3rd constituency since June 2007, and is a member of The Socialists and affiliated parliamentary group. Letchimy is a member of the Martinican Progressive Party (PPM), or Parti progressiste martiniquais. He was the successor of Aimé Césaire as Mayor of Fort de France from 2001 to 2010 and was the final President of the Regional Council of Martinique from 26 March 2010 until its replacement by the Assembly of Martinique in December 2015.
Articles related to the French overseas department of Martinique include:
The Martinican Democratic Rally is a Martinican political party founded on March 26, 2006 by Claude Lise, Senator and President of the General Council. Lise was a member of the Martinican Progressive Party. The party favors the autonomy of Martinique within France, unlike the nationalist MIM. The party has one seat in the European Parliament, Madeleine de Grandmaison. It also has 9 seats in the general council and 3 in the regional council.
Indo-Martiniquais are an ethnic group of Martinique, compromising approximately 10% of the population of the island. The Indo-Martiniquais are descendants of indentured labourers of the nineteenth century from India of primarily Tamil and Telugu descent as well as other Indian peoples. They are primarily most concentrated in the northern communes of Martinique, where the main plantations are located. The Indo-Martiniquais speak Antillean a French-based creole.
The 3rd constituency of Martinique is a French legislative constituency in the Martinique département. It consists of the commune of Fort-de-France, the capital of Martinique. In every election of the Fifth Republic, with the exceptions of the 2002 and 2024, it has returned a member of the Martinican Progressive Party.
The Regional Council of Martinique served as the regional council governing Martinique. In 2015, the Assembly of Martinique was established to replace both the Regional and General Councils of Martinique.
Josette Manin is a French politician on the island of Martinique. She was the last President of the General Council of Martinique, from 31 March 2011 to 31 December 2015, and was the representative of Martinique's 1st constituency in the National Assembly from 2017 to 2022. She was the first woman to be elected President of the General Council and as a deputy for Martinique in the French National Assembly.
The assembly of Martinique is the deliberative assembly of Martinique, which is a single territorial collectivity of France. In 2015 it replaced both the Regional and General Councils of Martinique.
Regional elections were held in France on 20 June and 27 June 2021. At stake were the regional councils in metropolitan and overseas France including the Corsican Assembly, Assembly of French Guiana and Assembly of Martinique, all for a six-year term. The Departmental Council of Mayotte, which also exercises the powers of a region, also participated in this election, because the departmental elections were held at the same time. Eighteen regional presidencies were at stake, with thirteen in mainland France and Corsica, as well as five overseas. Though they do not have legislative autonomy, these territorial collectivities manage sizable budgets. Moreover, regional elections are often perceived as a mid-term opinion poll. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the regional and departmental elections were postponed, first to 13 and 20 June 2021 and then to 20 and 27 June 2021.
Jane Marie Apolinaire Léro was a feminist and communist activist from Martinique.
Béatrice Bellay is a French politician in the overseas department of Martinique. Bellay was elected to serve as a member of the National Assembly for Martinique's 3rd constituency in 2024. She has served as leader of the Socialist Federation of Martinique, the Socialist Party's federation in Martinique, since 2018.
