National Alliance remains largest party but loses seat in August 2024 snap elections
PHILIPSBURG — In a surprising turn of events, the National Alliance has retained its position as the largest party in the August 19 snap elections with 2264 votes, despite losing one of its seats in the Parliament of St. Maarten. The party, led by former Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs, now holds 3 out of the 15 seats, down from the 4 seats it secured in the January elections.
The election results mark a significant shift within the National Alliance (NA), as Silveria Jacobs failed to secure her seat. This loss comes as a major blow to the party, given Jacobs’ leadership and her previous role as Prime Minister. Another notable loss for the NA is Cloyd Ohndhae Marlin, the son of the party’s co-founder and former leader, William Marlin. Despite his success in the January 2024 elections, where he won a seat in his first run, Cloyd Marlin did not manage to retain his position this time around.
However, the NA found some solace in the success of newcomer Darryl York. York, who narrowly missed securing a seat in the January elections with 293 votes, emerged as a surprising winner this time, capturing one of the NA’s three seats. His victory now with 312 votes is a testament to the growing confidence voters have placed in him, marking a fresh start for the party amid the leadership losses.
Also maintaining his seat for the NA is former Minister of Finance, Ardwell Irion. Irion’s ability to secure 305 votes reaffirms his position as a trusted and respected figure within the party, offering stability as the NA navigates through this period of transition. NA’s deputy leader, Egbert Jurendy Doran, also managed to secure one of the three NA seats in Parliament despite his personal loss in votes as well.
What happened?
The snap elections, triggered by the collapse of the URSM-led coalition in May 2024, saw a stronger showing from the incumbent governing parties. Both the URSM, led by Prime Minister Mercelina, and the Democratic Party (DP) increased their parliamentary presence, each rising from 2 to 3 seats. This has expanded the coalition’s majority from 4 to 9 out of the 15 seats, reinforcing the coalition’s influence in Parliament.
The National Alliance’s drop in voter support is notable. In the January elections, the NA secured 3,455 votes, but in this recent election, the party’s total vote count fell to 2,264. Despite this decline, the NA narrowly remained the largest party, though the results signal a clear shift in the political landscape.
The United Peoples Party (UPP) also faced a setback, losing one seat and dropping from 3 to 2 seats. This decline continues the party’s downward trend, further impacted by the non-return of its number 3 candidate, Akeem Arrindell, who is currently under suspicion of electoral fraud.
What now?
With the URSM emerging as the second-largest party with 2,230 votes, political observers predict that the URSM, DP, and Party for Progress (PFP) will form a new government, possibly opting for a slim 8-seat majority, excluding the NOW party from the coalition. This strategic move is seen as a way to prevent the NOW party leader from continuing to be a disruptive force within the government.
As the dust settles from the August 2024 elections, the National Alliance faces a period of introspection and restructuring. While the party has retained its status as the largest party, the loss of key figures like Silveria Jacobs and Cloyd Marlin indicates that the NA must adapt to the changing political landscape to maintain its influence and relevance in St. Maarten’s future.
The preliminary election results are as follows: NA 3, URSM 3, DP 3, UPP 2, PFP 2, SAM 1 and NOW 1. More news to follow in subsequent articles as we further analyze the August 19th election results.
