Politics
How the Dutch-side government works: Sint Maarten's Constitution explained
A plain-language guide to how Sint Maarten is governed: the King and Governor, the Council of Ministers, Parliament, the dual system and referendums.
By SXM Daily ·
Since 10 October 2010, Sint Maarten has been an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with its own Constitution, Parliament and Council of Ministers. This explainer sets out how the Dutch side is governed, based on the official English translation of the Constitution (the Staatsregeling).
Photo: Richie Diesterheft / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
The government's English translation notes that the Dutch text is the legally binding version.
The government: King, Governor and ministers
Under Article 32, "the government shall comprise the King and the ministers." The King is represented on the island by the Governor, and the ministers are responsible to Parliament.
Under Article 33, the prime minister and the other ministers are appointed and dismissed by national decree. A minister who no longer has the confidence of Parliament must resign.
The Council of Ministers
Under Article 39, the ministers together form the Council of Ministers. It has seven ministers unless a national ordinance sets a different number. The Prime Minister chairs it, and it decides overall government policy. If the Governor attends a meeting, he has only an advisory vote.
Under Article 40, national ordinances (laws) and national decrees are signed by the Governor and by one or more ministers.
Parliament
Article 44 says Parliament represents "the entire people of Sint Maarten."
Under Article 45, its size depends on the population: 15 members at 60,000 people or fewer, 17 above 60,000, 19 above 70,000 and 21 above 80,000.
Parliament sits for four years (Article 46). The parliamentary year opens on the second Tuesday of September, when the Governor, or someone on the Governor's behalf, explains the government's policy plans.
Members are elected by proportional representation in free elections held by secret ballot (Article 47). Voters must be Dutch nationals living in Sint Maarten and aged 18 or over.
Ministers and MPs are separate
The Constitution says a minister may not also serve as a Member of Parliament. An elected MP who becomes a minister must give up the seat. This separation is often called the dualistic system.
It is debated. In her 2026 Constitution Day message, Tourism Minister Grisha Heyliger-Marten argued that the switch to dualism is the main cause of frequent changes of government. That is her view, not a finding of this explainer.
Referendums
Article 92 states: "Consultative referendums are conducted at the initiative of Parliament." Parliament President Sarah Wescot-Williams said in her 2026 Constitution Day address that she has initiated a Referendum Ordinance to set the rules.
The French side is different
The northern half of the island, the Collectivité de Saint-Martin, is part of France and has a separate system. See our companion explainer.
Sources
- https://www.sintmaartengov.org/Ministries/Campaigns/Documents/AB%201_Staatsregeling%20English%20%281%29.pdf
- https://www.sintmaartengov.org/news/Pages/press-release.aspx?slug=constitution-day-address
- https://smn-news.com/index.php/st-maarten-st-martin-news/52000-constitution-day-2026-address-by-president-of-parliament-leader-of-the-democratic-party-mp-sarah-wescot-williams.html