Government of Curaçao

The government of Curaçao, a "constituent country" (Dutch: land) of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic country, whereby the prime minister is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Curaçao has full autonomy on most matters, with the exceptions summed up in the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands under the title "Kingdom affairs". The Constitution of Curaçao was ratified in September 2010, and entered into force on 10 October 2010 upon the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.

Executive power

Executive power rests with a governor, and a prime minister heads a Cabinet. The governor of Curaçao is appointed for a six-year term by the monarch (on from 2013: King Willem-Alexander), and the prime minister and deputy prime minister are elected by the Staten for four-year terms.

Cabinet

Further information: List of cabinets of Curaçao

The cabinet was sworn in on 7 June 2013, and was characterized as a "political" cabinet, set to complete the full term of parliament. The cabinet is based on a majority in the Estates of Curaçao of the parties PS, PAIS and PNP, as well independent member Glenn Sulvaran (formerly PAR)

Main office-holders

Office	Name	Party	Since
Prime Minister	Ivar Asjes	PS	7 June 2013
Minister of Economic Development	Stanley Palm	PAIS	7 June 2013
Minister of Finance	José Jardim		31 December 2012
Minister of Health, Environment, and Nature	Denzil (Ben) Whiteman	PS	31 December 2012
Minister of Government Policy, Planning and Services	Etienne van der Horst	PAIS	31 December 2012
Minister of Justice	Nelson Navarro	PAIS	31 December 2012
Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports	Irene Dick	PS	27 December 2013
Minister of Social Development, Labor and Welfare	Jeanne Francisca	PS	7 June 2013
Minister of Traffic, Transport and urban Planning	Earl Winston Balborda	PNP	31 December 2012
Minister Plenipotentiary	Marvelyne Wiels	PS	7 June 2013

Legislative power

Legislative power is shared by the government and the legislature. The legislature or Estates of Curaçao (Dutch: Staten) is made up of 21 members elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms. The current composition is shown below

Further information: 2021 Curaçao general election

Party		Votes	%	+/–	Seats	+/–
	Movement for the Future of Curaçao	23,559	27.76	+7.88	9	+4
	Real Alternative Party	11,778	13.88	–9.40	4	–2
	National People's Party	10,563	12.45	+8.47	4	+4
	Partido MAN	5,456	6.43	–13.99	2	–3
	Curaçao is the Best	4,537	5.35	New	1	New
	Work for Curaçao	4,411	5.20	New	1	New
	A Change for Curaçao	3,990	4.70	New	0	New
	Partido Inovashon Nashonal	3,734	4.40	–0.93	0	–1
	Kòrsou Vishonario	3,544	4.18	New	0	New
	Kòrsou di Nos Tur	3,521	4.15	–5.29	0	–2
	Movementu Kousa Promé	2,455	2.89	+0.39	0	0
	Democratic Party	2,388	2.81	+2.81	0	0
	Curaçao a New Dutch Municipality	2,245	2.65	New	0	New
	Movementu Progresivo	1,462	1.72	–3.22	0	–1
	Sovereign People	1,215	1.43	–3.71	0	–1
Total		84,858	100.00	–	21	0
Valid votes		84,858	98.78
Invalid/blank votes		1,052	1.22
Total votes		85,910	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		116,146	73.97
Source: SECC

Judicial power

Curaçao's judicial system, which has mainly been derived from the Dutch civil law system, operates independently of the legislature and the executive. It has one court of first instance: the Gerecht in Eerste Aanleg, Curaçao, and an appeal court the Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, which it shares with the other Dutch entities in the Caribbean. No appeal is possible to decisions of the Joint Court of Justice, but fundamental "questions of law" may be submitted to the Supreme Court of the Netherlands and the Hoge Raad der Nederlanden in cassation. Verdicts by those institutions may lead to a new decision of the Joint Court, taking into account the results of the cassation.