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 April 28th 2017

Government

A coalition of the Partido MAN (MAN), Pueblo Soberano (PS), Partido Antiá Restrukturá (PAR), and the Partido Nashonal di Pueblo (PNP) controlled 12 of the 21 seats in the Staten before being dissolved.

Main political organisations

MAN, four seats; Movementu Futuro Kòrsou (MFK, four seats); PAR, four seats; Korsou di Nos Tur (KdNT, three seats); PS, two seats; PNP, two seats; Un Kòrsou Hustu (UKH, one seat); Movementu Progresivo (MP, one seat)

Key ministers

Governor: Lucille George-Wout

Prime minister; general affairs; foreign relations: Hensley Koeiman

Administration, planning & services: Ruthmilda Larmonie Cecilia (PS)

Economic development: Eugene Rhuggenaath (PAR)

Education, science, culture & sport: Elsa Rozendal (MAB)

Finance: Kenneth Gijsbertha (MAN)

Health, environment & nature: Zita Jesus-Leito (PAR)

Justice: Ornelio Martina (PNP)

Social development, labour & welfare: Jaime Cordoba (PS)

Traffic, transport & spatial planning: Suzy Camelia-Romer (PNP)

Central Bank president

Emsley Tromp