Form of government

Parliamentary democracy with control over internal affairs, including aviation, customs, communications and immigration; the Netherlands is responsible for external affairs, such as citizenship, defence and foreign policy

The executive

The Council of Ministers is responsible to the Staten (parliament)

Head of state

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, represented by a governor; responsibility in the Netherlands lies with the Home Office

National legislature

The Staten has 21 members, elected by adult suffrage every four years under a system of proportional representation

Legal system

Courts of first instance on the island, appealing to a High Court of Justice operated jointly between Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the "BES islands" (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba); in civil and criminal matters, the Dutch Supreme Court in the Netherlands will remain the highest legal authority

Elections

The next national election is due on September 30th 2016

Government

A coalition of the Pueblo Soberano (PS), the Partido pa Adelanto i Inovashon Soshal (PAIS), the Partido Nashonal di Pueblo (PNP) and an independent member, Glenn Sulvaran (previously affiliated to the Partido Antiá Restrukturá-PAR), controls 12 of the 21 seats in the Staten

Main political organisations

PS, five seats; Movementu Futuro Kòrsou (MFK, five seats); PAIS, four seats; PAR, three seats; Movimentu Antiyas Nobo (MAN, two seats); PNP, one seat; Frente Obrero Liberashon 30 di Mei (FOL)

Key ministers

Governor: Lucille George-Wout

Prime minister: Bernard Whiteman

Administration, planning & services: Etienne van der Horst

Economic development: Eugene Rhuggenaath

Education, science, culture & sport: Irene Dick

Finance: José Jardim

Health, environment & nature: Siegfried Victorina

Justice: Nelson Navarro

Social development, labour & welfare: Ruthmilda Larmonie-Cecilia

Traffic, transport & spatial planning: Suzanne Camelia-Romer

Central Bank president

Emsley Tromp