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

As part of the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles federation, the election of a national government took place for the first time in August 2010. The first government's term was cut short when the ruling coalition split, and an early general election was held in October 2012. A new government was elected to a four-year term but took office only in June 2013, owing to difficulty in forming a majority coalition government. The next election is due in 2016

Government

A coalition of the Pueblo Soberano, the Partido pa Adelanto i Inovashon Soshal, the Partido Nashonal di Pueblo and an independent member, Glenn Sulvaran (previously affiliated to the Partido Antiá Restrukturá), has a one-seat majority in the Staten

Main political organisations

Pueblo Soberano (PS, five seats); Movementu Futuro Kòrsou (MFK, five seats); Partido pa Adelanto i Inovashon Soshal (PAIS, four seats); Partido Antiá Restrukturá (PAR, three seats); Movimentu Antiyas Nobo (MAN, two seats); Partido Nashonal di Pueblo (PNP, one seat); Frente Obrero Liberashon 30 di Mei (FOL)

Key ministers

Governor: Lucille George-Wout

Prime minister: Ivar Asjes

Economic development: Stanley Palm

Education, science, culture & sport: Irene Dick

Finance: José Jardim

Government policy, planning & services: Etienne van der Horst

Health, environment & nature: Denzil (Ben) Whiteman

Justice: Nelson Navarro

Plenipotentiary minister: Marvelyne Wiels

Social development, labour & welfare: Ruthmilda Larmonie-Cecilia

Traffic, transport & urban planning: Earl Balborda

Central Bank president

Emsley Tromp