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Published On: Wed, Nov 8th, 2017

Marlin steps down as National Alliance party leader

Marlin and Jacobs

PHILIPSBURG – Prime Minister William Marlin announced on Wednesday that he steps down as leader of the National Alliance. Minister Silveria Jacobs (Education, Culture, Youth and Sport) will lead the party in the campaign towards the January 8, 2018 elections.

The change of the guard at the National Alliance became apparent for the first time in 2014, when Jacobs became the biggest vote-getter for the party, holding a comfortable lead over the party-leader Marlin. In 2016, Jacobs outvoted Marlin again, this time by a slim margin of just three votes.

“This is the opportune time for a new leader,” Marlin said on Wednesday. It is a good time for a fresh face at the top of our ticket. It will be the first time in the party’s history that a lady is heading the ticket.”

In 2014 the party already announced that Jacobs would take the lead at the 2018 elections, but recent political developments have thrown that scenario out of the window.

Next year, Marlin will mark his fortieth year as an active politician in St. Maarten.

Photo caption: Prime Minister William Marlin and his successor Silveria Jacobs. Photo Hilbert Haar