Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April
1980), represented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1
July 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Etienne YS (since 3 June 2004)
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections,
the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister
by the Staten; election last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held
by NA 2006)
note: government coalition - PAR, PNP, PLKP, DP St. Maarten, UP
Bonaire, WIPM Saba, DP Statia
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (legislature)
Legislative branch:
unicameral States or Staten (22 seats - Curacao 14, Bonaire 3, St.
Maarten 3, St. Eustatius 1, Saba 1; members are elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
PAR 4, PNP 3, PLKP 2, DP St. M 2, UP Bonaire 2, WIPM 1, DP
note: the government of Prime Minister Etienne YS is a coalition of
several parties; current government formed after collapse of FOL led
government on 4 April 2004
elections: last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held in 2006)
Judicial branch:
Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)
Political parties and leaders:
Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR [Etienne YS]; C 93 [Stanley
BROWN]; Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM];
Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; Democratic
Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY]; Democratic
Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS];
Foundation Energetic Management Anti-Narcotics or FAME [Eric
LODEWIJKS]; Labor Party People's Crusade or PLKP [Errol COVA];
National Alliance [William MARLIN]; National People's Party or PNP
[Susanne F. C. CAMELIA-ROMER]; New Antilles Movement or MAN [Kenneth
GIJSBERTHA]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramonsito BOOI];
Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten or SPA [Vance JAMES, Jr.];
People's Party or PAPU [Richard HODI]; Pro Curacao Party or PPK
[Winston LOURENS]; Saba Democratic Labor Movement [Steve HASSELL];
Saba Unity Party [Carmen SIMMONDS]; St. Eustatius Alliance or SEA
[Kenneth VAN PUTTEN]; Serious Alternative People's Party or Sapp
[Julian ROLLOCKS]; Social Action Cause or KAS [Benny DEMEI];
Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Will JOHNSTON]; Workers'
Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT, Rignald LAK, Editha WRIGHT]
note: political parties are indigenous to each island
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO,
WToO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Consul General Robert E. SORENSON
consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad AN, Curacao
mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao
telephone: [599] (9) 4613066
FAX: [599] (9) 4616489
Flag description:
white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on
a vertical red band, also centered; five white, five-pointed stars
are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the
five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao,
Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten