The political structure in St. Maarten consists of a democratic government that includes legislative power, executive power, and judicial power. The judiciary in St. Maarten/ St. Martin is completely independent of the executive power and the legislature. The island of St. Maarten/ St. Martin is a parliamentary representative democratic country with a multi-party system.
Sint Maarten/ St. Martin is governed by the Dutch monarchy, which is represented by a governor and a cabinet. The head of state of St. Maarten/ St. Martin is the King of the Netherlands Willem-Alexander. King Willem-Alexander is represented by the governor in St. Maarten/ St. Martin. The current governor of St. Maarten/ St. Martin is Eugene Holiday, he has been the governor of the island since 2010. Eugene Holiday is the first governor in the history of the island of St. Maarten/ St. Martin.
Table of Contents
- Which form of government is used in St. Maarten?
- Who is the head of government of St. Maarten?
- Who holds the legislative power in Sint Maarten?
- What are the different political parties in Sint Maarten?
- How is the judicial system of Sint Maarten?
- How many ministers are there in St. Maarten?
- Who owns the island of St. Martin?
- Is St. Maarten a poor country?
Which form of government is used in St. Maarten?
The form of government used in St. Maarten/St. Maarten is a constitutional democracy with representative parliaments.
Who is the head of government of St. Maarten?
The head of the government of St. Maarten/St. Martin is the prime minister. The head of the executive power of St. Maarten/St. Martin is Silveria Jacobs. There is a distinction between “head of government” and “head of state” in diplomacy, although they are often the same person in some countries, such as the United States.
It is common for government leaders, such as presidents, chancellors, and prime ministers, to have varying levels of authority and relationships between themselves and state institutions, such as the legislature. The relationship between the head of state and the legislature is largely determined by the type of government that has been chosen, won, or developed over time.
Who holds the legislative power in Sint Maarten?
The legislative power in Sint Maarten/ Saint Martin is shared by the government and the parliament. There are fifteen members that are elected for four years to the parliament. The parliament represents the entire Dutch population of Sint Maarten which is the country’s highest legislative body. There is an independent judiciary from the executive and legislature on St. Maarten/ St. Martin.
When are elections in St. Maarten held?
The elections in St. Maarten are held every four years. There is a legislative assembly called the Estates of Sint Maarten, which has 15 members who are elected for four-year terms. The first members were elected in the legislative assembly of 2010.
What are the different political parties in Sint Maarten?
The different political parties in Sint Maarten/ Saint Martin are United Democrats, Party for Progress, United People’s Party, National Alliance, and United St. Maarten Party. The different political parties in Sint Maarten/ Saint Martin are described below.
| Party | Ideology | Leader |
|---|---|---|
| National Alliance | Social democracy | Silveria Jacobs |
| United Democrats | Christian left - Social democracy | Sarah Wescot-Williams |
| Party for Progress | Center-left | Melissa Gumbs |
| United People’s Party | Center-right | Theodore Heyliger |
| United St. Maarten Party | Communitarianism | Frans Richardson |
Which is the top leading political party of St. Maarten?
The top leading political party of St. Maarten is the United Democrats. The United Democrats are the largest political party of St. Maarten with seven seats.
How is the judicial system of Sint Maarten?
The judicial system of Sint Maarten/ Saint Martin operates independently of the legislative branch. There is a Supreme Court of the Netherlands and there is also a Common Court of Justice of Sint Maarten, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Sint Eustatius, and Saba.
The purpose of the judicial system of Sint Maarten/ Saint Martin is to create and adopt rules that ensure security, order, and peace. Some of the roles of the judicial system are the creation of a system of policing and border controls, protecting individual rights, controlling crime, and more. Some of the roles of the judicial system of St. Maarten/ St. Martin are listed below.
- Defend individual rights.
- Prevention and control of crime.
- To create and maintain a system of policing and border controls.
- Overseeing the courts, the judiciary, and the prosecutor’s office.
- Overseeing corrections, prisons, detention and release, and pardons, amnesties, and general pardons.
- Admission and expulsion issues related to immigration
How many ministers are there in St. Maarten?
There are eight ministers in St. Maarten. The ministers in St. Maarten are listed and described below.
- Prime Minister: Silveria Jacobs.
- Minister of Justice: Anna Richardson.
- Minister of Finance: Ardwell Irion.
- Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure: Egbert J. Doran.
- Minister of Public Health, Labor and Social Affairs: Omar E.C. Ottley.
- Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications: Roger A. Lawrence.
- Minister of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sports: Drs. Rodolphe E. Samuel.
- Minister Plenipotentiary: Rene Violenus.
Who owns the island of St. Martin?
The island of St. Martin/ St. Maarten belongs to France and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Although St. Martin/ St. Maarten is an island located in the Caribbean Sea, the island has been governed by France and the Kingdom of the Netherlands since 1648.
How is St. Martin divided?
St. Martin is divided into French St. Martin and Dutch St. Maarten. There is a border division on the island of St. Martin which was established by the Treaty of Concordia in 1648. The island of St. Maarten/ St. Martin has a surface area of 9.36 sq ft (34 sqm). There are 5.70 sq ft (20 sqm) on French St. Martin and 3.66 sq ft (13 sqm) on Dutch St. Maarten. The population in Sint Maarten/ Saint Martin is approximately 77,000 people.
There are a variety of nationalities on St. Maarten that represent the population of the island such as native to St. Maarten, people from the Dominican Republic, people from Haiti, people from Aruba, people from the United States, people from the Netherlands, people from Saint Kitts and Nevis, and some others. The official languages of St. Martin/ St. Maarten are Dutch and English. Some other unofficial languages in St. Martin/ St. Maarten are Spanish, Papiamento, Creole, and French.
Is St. Maarten a poor country?
No, St. Maarten/ St. Martin is not a poor country. St. Maarten/ St. Martin is not free from poverty, as any Caribbean island is, and there are some issues like crime in certain areas. The island of St. Maarten/ St. Martin is a popular destination for tourists, the entire economy of Sint Maarten is based on tourism. Tourists also like St. Maarten/ St. Martin because they feel safe when visiting St. Maarten. These factors contribute to the luxurious status of the island.