Windward Islands People's Movement

Last updated
Windward Islands People's Movement
Leader Rolando Wilson
PresidentBruce Zagers
Founded1970;54 years ago (1970) [1]
Preceded by Windward Islands People’s Party
Ideology Christian democracy
Political position Centre-right
Regional affiliation Christian Democrat Organization of America
Colours  Orange
Saba Island council
3 / 5

The Windward Islands People's Movement (WIPM) is a political party in Saba. It has won a majority of seats in the Island Council in all but two elections since 1971.

Contents

It held all five seats in the Island Council after the 2019 elections and until June 1, 2022, when council member Hemmie Van Xanten resigned from the party while continuing to serve as a councilor. [2] [3] [4] When party member Esmeralda Johnson was elected to a seat on the island council in 2019, she became the youngest person ever to serve on it. [5]

Netherlands Antilles

Until the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles, the party competed in island council elections and for the single Saba seat in the Estates of the Netherlands Antilles (which it won in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 elections). The party has also participated in the island council elections of Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten (until its merger with the Sint Maarten Patriotic Movement (S.P.M.)).

When Saba became part of the Netherlands as a special municipality in 2010, the 2007 island council stayed (where the party obtained 4 of the 5 seats) until the election under Dutch law in 2011. [6]

Island Council electoral results

ElectionVotes %Seats+/–Government
1971
3 / 5
Majority
1975 42173.09
4 / 5
Increase2.svg 1Majority
1979 48381.04
5 / 5
Increase2.svg 1Majority
1983 47077.43
4 / 5
Decrease2.svg 1Majority
1987 32851.01
2 / 5
Decrease2.svg 2Opposition
1991 43771.99
4 / 5
Increase2.svg 2Majority
1995 34654.75
2 / 5
Decrease2.svg 2Opposition
1999 40070.67
4 / 5
Increase2.svg 2Majority
2003 29847.30
3 / 5
Decrease2.svg 1Majority
2007 44773.8
4 / 5
Increase2.svg 1Majority
2011 68683.4
4 / 5
Steady2.svg 0Majority
2015 54557.2
3 / 5
Decrease2.svg 1Majority
2019 77779.04
5 / 5
Increase2.svg 2Majority
2023
3 / 5
Decrease2.svg 2Majority

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References

  1. "@: Windward Islands People's Movement / @: W.I.P.M. / @: WIPM". Encyclopedie van de Nederlandse Antillen (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  2. "WIPM (Saba) Grabs All 5 Seats!". BES Reporter. 20 March 2019.
  3. "New Saba Island Council, Commissioners sworn in". The Daily Herald. 29 March 2019.
  4. "Island Council Member Hemmie van Xanten resigned from WIPM party". Saba News. 4 June 2022.
  5. "New Island Council, Commissioners sworn in - Saba News". 2021-10-24. Archived from the original on 2021-10-24. Retrieved 2021-10-24.
  6. "Nieuw stemmen op zijn Netherlands". Trouw (in Dutch). 19 February 2011.