Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles

The Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles (Dutch: Staten van de Nederlandse Antillen; Papiamento: Parlamento di Antias Hulandes), also translated as the Estates of the Netherlands Antilles, was the parliament of the Netherlands Antilles. It comprised 22 members, elected for a four-year term in three multi-seat constituencies and two single-seat constituencies. On 10 October 2010, the Netherlands Antilles were dissolved, and so was the parliament.

Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles Staten van de Nederlandse Antillen Parlamento di Antias Hulandes
History
Founded	5 April 1938 (1938-04-05)
Disbanded	10 October 2010 (2010-10-10)
Preceded by	Colonial Council of Curaçao and Dependencies
Succeeded by	Parliament of Aruba Parliament of Curaçao Parliament of Sint Maarten States General of the Netherlands
Seats	15 (1938–1949) 21 (1949–1950) 22 (1950–2010)
Elections
Last election	22 January 2010
Motto
Cum lege libertas (Latin) "With the law there is freedom"
Meeting place
Statengebouw, Wilhelminaplein, Willemstad

History

Main article: Elections in the Netherlands Antilles

On 20 December 1937, the first parliamentary election took place following the reorganization of the Colonial Council of Curaçao and Dependencies. The first Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles consisted of 15 members, of which 5 were appointed by the Governor of the Netherlands Antilles and 10 were elected through elections held in the territories. In 1949, universal suffrage was introduced and parliament grew from 15 to 21 seats. Beginning in 1950, the Parliament consisted out of 22 seats, elected through proportional representation for a period 4 years.

Seats

Number of seats by constituency

Constituency		Timespan
		1938–1945	1945–1949	1949–1950	1950–1985	1986–2010
Aruba		2	3	8	8	–
Bonaire		1	1	2	1	3
Curaçao		6	5	8	12	14
Windward Islands		1	1	–	1	–
	Saba	–	–	1	–	3
	Sint Eustatius	–	–	1	–	1
	Sint Maarten	–	–	1	–	1
Appointed members		5	5	–	–	–
Total		15	15	21	22	22

List of presidents

Following the 1937 general election, the Members of the Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles elected J.H. Sprockel as the first president of the Parliament. The last person to hold this position was Pedro Atacho (2007–2010).

Presidents of the Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles

No.	Name	Term of office	Party	Constituency
1	J.H. Sprockel	1938-1945	CKP	Curaçao
2	A.W. Desertine	1945-1947	CKP	Curaçao
3	E.A. Romer	1947-1949	CKP	Curaçao
4	J.E. Yrausquin	1949-1950	PPA	Aruba
5	W.R. Plantz	1950-1951	−	−
6	J.C. Debrol	1951-1952	KVP	Curaçao
7	P.C. Henriquez	1952-1953	NVP	Curaçao
8	J.E. Yrausquin	1954-1956	PPA	Aruba
9	R.J. Isa	1956-1959	DP	Curaçao
10	J.A.O. Bikker	1959-1966	DP	Curaçao
11	O.R.A. Beaujon	1966-1968	DP	Curaçao
12	L.A. Abraham	1968-1969	PDB	Bonaire
13	C.E. Cathalina	1969-1971	DP	Curaçao
14	F.L. Maduro	1971-1973	PRO	Aruba
15	R. ElHage	1973-1975	PSD	Curaçao
16	F.D. Figaroa	1975-1976	MEP	Aruba
17	A. Nita	1976-1977	FOL	Curaçao
18	J.A.O. Bikker	1977-1979	DP	Curaçao
19	F.D. Figaroa	1979	MEP	Aruba
20	G.F. Croes	1979-1980	MEP	Aruba
21	P. Bislip	1980-1982	ADN	Aruba
22	R.A.E. Markes	1982	MAN	Example
23	R. Lopez Henriquez	1983	AVP	Aruba
24	R.A.E. Markes	1984-1985	MAN	Curaçao
25	J.A.O. Bikker	1986-1988	DP	Curaçao
26	E.A.V. Jesrun	1988	NVP	Curaçao
27	H. Thomas	1988-1990	NVP	Curaçao
28	R.F. McWilliam	1990-1993	NVP	Curaçao
29	D.A.S. Lucia	1993-1994	FOL	Curaçao
30	L.A. George-Wout	1994-1998	PAR	Curaçao
31	E.A. Cova	1998-1999	PLKP	Curaçao
32	D.A.S. Lucia	2001-2005	FOL	Curaçao
33	D.E. Puriel	2006	MAN	Curaçao
34	R.J. Francisca	2006-2007	MAN	Curaçao
35	P.J. Atacho	2007-2010	PAR	Curaçao