Parliament of Sint Maarten

Last updated

Parliament of Sint Maarten

Staten van Sint Maarten
5th Parliament of Sint Maarten
Estates of Sint Maarten.png
Type
Type
History
Founded10 October 2010 (2010-10-10)
Leadership
Luc Mercelina, URSM
since 3 May 2024
Sarah A. Wescot-Williams [1] , DP
since 10 February 2024
Structure
Seats15
Sint Maarten Estates 2024.svg
Parliament political groups
Government [2]
  •   URSM (2)
  •   DP (2)
  •   PFP (2)
  •   N.O.W. (2)

Opposition

Elections
Parliament voting system
Proportional representation
Last Parliament election
11 January 2024
Motto
Latin: coram populo
Website
www.sxmparliament.org

The Parliament of Sint Maarten (Dutch : Staten van Sint Maarten) is a unicameral legislature that consists of 15 members, each elected for a four-year term in a general election. The first parliament was installed on 10 October 2010, the date of the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles, and consisted of the members of the predecessor island council elected on 17 September 2010. [3] The current President of Parliament is Sarah A. Wescot-Williams. [4]

Contents

Role and function

The parliament is the highest legislative body of the country and represents the entire population of the Dutch side of the island. The parliament consists of 15 members who are elected for a four-year period. The session year of parliament commences on the second Tuesday of September. During this session, the Governor provides an explanation of the policy to be pursued by the government. The parliament elects a President and Deputy President from its own numbers. The President of Parliament opens and closes the session year of the Parliament. Parliament is sometimes called a "co-legislator" with the Government, because both have control over policy.

Parliament's powers include:

2024 general election

Sint Maarten Estates 2024.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
National Alliance 3,45523.924–2
United People's Party 2,81419.483–1
Unified Resilient St. Maarten Movement 2,02814.042New
Democratic Party 1,97013.642+1 [lower-alpha 1]
Party for Progress  [ nl ]1,71711.8920
Nation Opportunity Wealth 1,48110.252New
United St. Maarten Party 6864.750–2
Empire Culture Empowerment Association2922.020New
Total14,443100.00150
Valid votes14,44397.75
Invalid votes3322.25
Blank votes00.00
Total votes14,775100.00
Registered voters/turnout22,55365.51
Source: Central Voting Bureau

Current parliament

The Government of Sint Maarten is based on a political party having a majority of the 15 seats in parliament. A political party would need to have eight seats in order to govern outright. However, more than one party can form a Government if parties can reach an agreement to do so. An independent member of parliament can also be part of the ranks of the opposition or be part of the governing party or coalition.

Current members of parliament were seated on February 9, 2024, following the 2024 Sint Maarten general election.

Building

Parliament of Sint Maarten in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Philipsburg Parliament of Sint Maarten (6545976001).jpg
Parliament of Sint Maarten in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten

The current parliament building is located at Wilhelminastraat #1, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten.

See also

Notes

  1. Ran in the 2020 election as the United Democrats, winning one seat

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The Netherlands Antilles was a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The country consisted of several island territories located in the Caribbean Sea. The islands were also informally known as the Dutch Antilles. The country came into being in 1954 as the autonomous successor of the Dutch colony of Curaçao and Dependencies. The Antilles were dissolved in 2010. The Dutch colony of Surinam, although relatively close by on the continent of South America, did not become part of the Netherlands Antilles but became a separate autonomous country in 1954. All the island territories that belonged to the Netherlands Antilles remain part of the kingdom today, although the legal status of each differs. As a group they are still commonly called the Dutch Caribbean, regardless of their legal status. People from this former territory continue to be called Antilleans in the Netherlands.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Alliance (Sint Maarten)</span> Political party in Sint Maarten

The National Alliance is a political party in Sint Maarten, formed by the Sint Maarten Patriotic Alliance (SPA) and the National Progressive Party (NPP). It is one of main political parties within Sint Maarten. At the legislative elections in the Netherlands Antilles, 18 January 2002, the alliance won 4.8% of the popular vote of Sint Maarten and 1 out of 22 seats. At the elections in the Netherlands Antilles of 27 January 2006, it won one extra seat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles</span> 2010 dissolution of the autonomous Caribbean country of the Netherlands

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Sint Maarten</span> Government of the Dutch constituent country of Sint Maarten

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcel Gumbs</span> 2nd Prime Minister of Sint Maarten

Marcel Faustiano Augustin Gumbs is a Sint Maarten politician who served as the 2nd Prime Minister of Sint Maarten from 2014 to 2015. He was selected as Prime Minister in the coalition agreement between the United People's Party and the independent Members Parliament Cornelius de Weever and Leona Marlin-Romeo. Prior to becoming Prime Minister, he served as a member on the Sint Maarten Council of Advise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Martina</span> Curaçaoan politician

Dominico Felipe "Don" Martina is a Curaçaoan politician. He served two terms as Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles. His first term lasted from November 1979 to October 1984 and his second term from January 1986 to July 1988.

Henrietta Doran-York is a politician from Sint Maarten. She was Minister Plenipotentiary of Sint Maarten from 19 November 2015 until 15 January 2018. She previously served as Deputy Minister Plenipotentiary. Doran-York is a member of the National Alliance party, and has run in several elections.

Franklin Antonio Meyers is a Sint Maarten businessman and United People's Party politician who serves as a Member of Parliament since 2014. He was Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications in the First Wescot-Williams cabinet from 2010 to 2012.

Island council elections were held in the Netherlands Antilles on 12 April 1991 to elect the members of the island councils of its five island territories. The election was won by the Bonaire Patriotic Union in Bonaire, the National People's Party in Curaçao, the Windward Islands People's Movement in Saba, and the Sint Maarten Patriotic Alliance in Sint Maarten.

Island council elections were held in the Netherlands Antilles on 7 April and 12 May 1995 to elect the members of the island councils of its five island territories. The election was won by the Bonaire Democratic Party in Bonaire, the Party for the Restructured Antilles in Curaçao, the Saba Democratic Labour Movement in Saba, the Democratic Party Statia in Sint Eustatius, and the Democratic Party in Sint Maarten.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 Sint Maarten general election</span>

General elections were held in Sint Maarten on 11 January 2024.

References

  1. "President". Parliament of Sint Maarten. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  2. "Sint Maarten: Four political parties sign historic coalition agreement | Loop Caribbean News". Loop News. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  3. RNW.nl – Eilandsraad Sint Maarten unaniem achter staatsregeling
  4. "Presidium". Parliament of Sint Maarten. Retrieved 4 May 2024.