2017 Curaçao general election

2017 Curaçao general election

28 April 2017 (2017-04-28)
Turnout	66.40%
Party Leader Vote % Seats +/– PAR Eugene Rhuggenaath 23.3 6 +2 MAN Hensley Koeiman 20.4 5 +1 MFK Gerrit Schotte 19.9 5 +1 KdNT Amparo dos Santos 9.4 2 −1 PIN Suzanne Camelia-Römer 5.3 1 New PS Jaime Córdoba 5.1 1 −1 MP Marilyn Moses 4.9 1 0 This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below. Prime Minister before Prime Minister after Gilmar Pisas MFK Eugene Rhuggenaath PAR

Early general elections were held in Curaçao on 28 April 2017 after the fall of the government led by Hensley Koeiman.

Background

The previous general elections in 2016 resulted in the formation of a four-party coalition government consisting of MAN, the Real Alternative Party (PAR), the National People's Party (PNP) and Sovereign People (PS), headed by Hensley Koeiman of MAN.[1] However, the PS withdrew from the coalition on 11 February 2017, causing it to lose its majority. Prime Minister Koeiman subsequently submitted his resignation to the governor.[2] On 24 March 2017 Gilmar Pisas was sworn in as interim Prime Minister.[3]

Electoral system

The 21 members of the Estates are elected by proportional representation.[4] Parties that won at least one seat in the 2016 election were allowed to participate and a primary election was held to determine which other parties could run. These parties were required to win the equivalent of 1% of the votes cast in the previous general election in order to participate.

Primary election

A total of 14 parties registered to contest the election. Six parties were without parliamentary representation and had to participate in the primary election on 18 and 19 March 2017.[5] Parties that won more than 792 votes (1% of the total votes in the 2016 election) qualified to participate in the election.

Party		Leader	Votes	% of 2016 turnout	Qualified
	Partido Inovashon Nashonal	Suzy Camelia-Römer	2,660	3.36	Yes
	Movementu Kousa Promé	René Rosalia	1,218	1.54	Yes
	Workers' Liberation Front–Partido Aliansa Nobo	Amado Rojer	1,124	1.42	Yes
	Democratic Party	Geraldine Scheperboer-Parris	603	0.76	No
	Movementu PUSH Kòrsou	Ydellienne Heerenveen	501	0.63	No
	Liberashon Klàsiko Komunidat di Kòrsou	Josefina Josepha	113	0.14	No
Total valid votes			6,219
Source: Supreme Electoral Council of Curaçao

Results

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Real Alternative Party	18,368	23.30	6	+2
	Partido MAN	16,070	20.39	5	+1
	Movement for the Future of Curaçao	15,706	19.92	5	+1
	Kòrsou di Nos Tur	7,439	9.44	2	−1
	Partido Inovashon Nashonal	4,200	5.33	1	New
	Sovereign People	4,028	5.11	1	−1
	Movementu Progresivo	3,880	4.92	1	0
	Un Kòrsou Hustu	3,206	4.07	0	−1
	National People's Party	3,099	3.93	0	−2
	Movementu Kousa Promé	1,975	2.51	0	0
	Workers' Liberation Front–PAN	859	1.09	0	New
Total		78,830	100.00	21	0
Valid votes		78,830	98.58
Invalid/blank votes		1,138	1.42
Total votes		79,968	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		120,430	66.40
Source: SECC

References

1. Tension Between Coalition Partners Curaçao Chronicle, 9 February 2017
2. Curacao govt. collapses; new elections coming in April NL Times, 13 February 2017
3. "Pisas beëdigd als nieuwe premier Curaçao" (in Dutch). NU.nl. 24 March 2017.
4. Political structure The Economist Intelligence Unit
5. Update: 14 Parties Participate In The Upcoming Election Curaçao Chronicle, 9 March 2017