
Political pipedreams
By Hilbert Haar The Central Plan Bureau in the Netherlands routinely analyses election programs of political parties before an election takes place. Such analyses show whether these programs are financially feasible, More...

Electoral reform: the Lynch-law under review – part 2/2
~ Curacao sticks to system that favors position on candidate-list ~ PHILIPSBURG – St. Maarten’s current electoral law – oft referred to as the Lynch-law after its architect – determines that candidates More...

Electoral reform: the Lynch-law under review – part 1/2
PHILIPSBURG — The discussion about electoral reform will soon be in full swing, whereby the focus will be on the Lynch-law – actually, an article in the current electoral law that determines who gets elected: More...

The H-Factor
Leader of the SMCP, Wycliffe Smith, writes in an article about the H-Factor. Already on November 7, 2019, during an ad hoc committee meeting on electoral reform, the former MP Claude Chacho Peterson proposed that More...

Talking Politics with Arun Jagtiani 2020 edition
ARUN JAGTIANI: “I’m please to officially announce that a few weeks ago, I partnered with Cani TV to produce season 2 of “Talking Politics with Arun Jagtiani”. “We have just finished More...

Only one party published manifesto in timely manner
Philipsburg — The Electoral Council would like to remind all political parties contesting the upcoming parliamentary elections that in accordance with the National Ordinance on Registration and Finances of More...

The writing is on the wall
By Hilbert Haar Let me make one thing clear before writing anything else. The real winners and losers will become apparent only after the January 9, 2020 elections. But I still think, quoting Greta Thunberg, that More...

Deadline for application registration new political parties: Wednesday, October 9, 2019
PHILIPSBURG — The Electoral Council hereby wishes to inform prospective political parties desirous of participating in the upcoming elections on 9 January 2020 that: In view of the fact that postulation date More...

Democratic process under pressure
PHILIPSBURG – The democratic process in St. Maarten is under pressure; not due to any shenanigans but due to a rule in the Constitution and a rule in the National Ordinance Registration and Finances Political More...

Minister Plenipotentiary and deputy Minister Plenipotentiary sign declaration with Electoral Council
Philipsburg — On June 29, 2018, the Electoral Council invited Minister Plenipotentiary, drs. Jorien Wuite, and deputy Minister Plenipotentiary, Mr. Michael Somersall, to sign the declaration regarding article More...