R assumed prime ministership following the
resignation of Susanne CAMELIA-ROMER

cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten

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 30 January 1998 (next to be held
by NA 2002)

note: government coalition - PDB, DP-St. M, FOL, PLKP, PNP

Legislative branch: unicameral States or Staten (22 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
PAR 4, PNP 3, SPA 1, PDB 2, UPB 1, MAN 2, PLKP 3, WIPM 1, SEA 1,
DP-St. M 2, FOL 2; no party won enough seats to form a government

note: the government of Prime Minister Miguel POURIER is a
coalition of several parties; current seats by party - PAR 4, PNP 3,
FOL 2, MAN 2, UPB 2, DP-St. M 2, PDB 1, SEA 1, WIPM 1, other 4

Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by
the monarch)

Political parties and leaders: Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR
[Miguel POURIER]; 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 People's Party or PNP [Susanne F. C. CAMELIA-ROMER];
New Antilles Movement or MAN [Kenneth GIJSBERTHA]; Patriotic Union
of Bonaire or UPB [Ramon 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: Caricom (