Saint Kitts and Nevis, officially the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, is an island country consisting of the two islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, both located in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands chain of the Lesser Antilles. With 261 square kilometres (101 sq mi) of territory, and roughly 48,000 inhabitants, it is the smallest sovereign state in the Western Hemisphere, in both area and population, as well as the world's smallest sovereign federation. The country is a Commonwealth realm, with Charles III as King and head of state.
Saint Kitts and Nevis have one of the longest written histories in the Caribbean, both islands being among Spain's and England's first colonies in the archipelago. Despite being only two miles apart and quite diminutive in size, Saint Kitts and Nevis were widely recognized as being separate entities with distinct identities until they were forcibly united in the late 19th century.
The politics of Saint Kitts and Nevis takes place in the framework of a federal parliamentary democracy. Saint Kitts and Nevis is an independent Commonwealth realm with Charles III as its head of state, viceregally represented by a Governor-General. He acts on the advice of the prime minister, who is the majority party leader in the National Assembly, and who, with a cabinet, conducts affairs of state.
Denzil Llewellyn Douglas is a Saint Kittitian and Nevisian politician and the longest-serving prime minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, in office from 1995 to 2015. He was the leader of the Saint Kitts and Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) from 1989 to 2021. He was the leader of the parliamentary opposition from 1989 to 1995 and from 2015 to 2022.
Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw was the first Premier of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and previously served as Chief Minister, legislator, and labour activist.
Timothy Sylvester Harris is a Saint Kittitian and Nevisian politician, who served as the third prime minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis from 2015 to 2022. He previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 10 August 2001 to 25 January 2008, as Minister of Finance from 2008 to 2010, and as Senior Minister and Minister for Agriculture from 2010 to 2013.
Caleb Azariah Paul Southwell was the second Premier and first Chief Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean. He also worked as a teacher, police officer, and trade unionist.
The Nevis Reformation Party is a Nevis-based political party in Saint Kitts and Nevis. The party currently holds none of the eleven seats in the National Assembly. It is the official opposition party on Nevis, holding two of five seats in the Nevis Island Assembly after losing to the CCM in the 2022 election. Since 2020, the NRP has been led by businesswoman and environmental consultant Janice Daniel-Hodge, the first woman to lead a political party in the country and daughter of former Premier of Nevis Simeon Daniel.
The People's Action Movement (PAM) is a political party in the island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The party currently holds one of the 11 seats in the National Assembly. PAM operates only in Saint Kitts and for the 2022 general election is in a 'One Movement' alliance with the Concerned Citizens' Movement (CCM) operating in Nevis, following the breakdown of the governing Team Unity alliance. PAM is a member of the Caribbean Democrat Union, the regional affiliate of the International Democrat Union and shares close links with other centre-right party members in the Caribbean such as the Jamaica Labour Party.
The Saint Kitts and Nevis Trades and Labour Union (TLU) is a general union in St Kitts and Nevis.
General elections were held in Saint Kitts and Nevis on 25 January 2010 for eleven of the fourteen or fifteen seats in the National Assembly. The other three or four members of the National Assembly will be appointed by the Governor-General after the elections.
General elections were held in Saint Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla on 6 October 1952, the country's first elections held under universal suffrage. The Workers' League won seven of the eight elected seats.
General elections were held in Saint Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla on 10 May 1971. The result was a victory for the Saint Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla Labour Party (SKNALP), which won seven of the nine elected seats. The SKNALP won all seven seats at the island of Saint Kitts, while the two seats at the island of Nevis were divided between the People's Action Movement and the Nevis Reformation Party. Anguilla, which was nominally entitled to one seat, boycotted the elections in the aftermath of the 1969 referendum. Voter turnout was 87.9%.
The United National Movement was a political party in Saint Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla. The party first contested national elections in 1961, when they received 7% of the vote and won two seats. In the 1966 elections their vote share fell to 6% and they lost one of their two seats. In the 1971 elections their vote share dropped again, this time to 4% and they lost their sole seat. The party did not contest any further elections.
Shawn Kenneth Richards is a Saint Kitts and Nevis politician from People's Action Movement (PAM).
General elections were held in Saint Kitts and Nevis on 16 February 2015. The ruling Saint Kitts and Nevis Labour Party, led by Prime Minister Denzil Douglas, was defeated by Team Unity, an alliance of the Concerned Citizens' Movement, the People's Action Movement, and the People's Labour Party, led by Timothy Harris.
Snap general elections were held in Saint Kitts and Nevis on 5 August 2022, following the decision of incumbent prime minister Timothy Harris to dissolve the parliament on 11 May. Snap elections are constitutionally required within ninety days following the dissolution of parliament.
Terrance Michael Drew is a Kittitian medical doctor and politician who is the fourth and current prime minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, having been elected to the National Assembly in the 5 August 2022 general election.
Geoffrey Hanley is a politician from Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Events from the year 2022 in Saint Kitts and Nevis
