Saint Martin vs. Sint Maarten
Government
| Saint Martin | Sint Maarten | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin conventional short form: Saint Martin local long form: Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Martin local short form: Saint-Martin etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island after Saint MARTIN of Tours because the 11 November 1493 day of discovery was the saint's feast day | conventional long form: Country of Sint Maarten conventional short form: Sint Maarten local long form: Land Sint Maarten (Dutch); Country of Sint Maarten (English) local short form: Sint Maarten (Dutch and English) former: Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island after Saint MARTIN of Tours because the 11 November 1493 day of discovery was the saint's feast day |
| Dependency status | overseas collectivity of France note: the only French overseas collectivity that is part of the EU | constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs |
| Government type | parliamentary democracy (Territorial Council); overseas collectivity of France | parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy |
| Capital | name: Marigot geographic coordinates: 18 04 N, 63 05 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: marigot is a French term referring to a body of water, a watercourse, a side-stream, or a tributary rivulet; the name likely refers to a stream at the site of the city's original founding | name: Philipsburg geographic coordinates: 18 1 N, 63 2 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: founded and named in 1763 by John PHILIPS, a Scottish captain in the Dutch navy |
| Independence | none (overseas collectivity of France) | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
| National holiday | Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - local holiday is Schoelcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848), as well as St. Martin's Day, 11 November (1985), which commemorates the discovery of the island by COLUMBUS on Saint Martin's Day, 11 November 1493; the latter holiday celebrated on both halves of the island | King's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967); note - King's or Queen's Day are observed on the ruling monarch's birthday; celebrated on 26 April if 27 April is a Sunday; local holiday Sint Maarten's Day, 11 November (1985), commemorates the discovery of the island by COLUMBUS on Saint Martin's Day, 11 November 1493; celebrated on both halves of the island |
| Constitution | history: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) amendments: amendment procedures of France's constitution apply | history: previous 1947, 1955; latest adopted 21 July 2010, entered into force 10 October 2010 (regulates governance of Sint Maarten but is subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands) amendments: proposals initiated by the Government or by Parliament; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority of the Parliament membership; passage of amendments relating to fundamental rights, authorities of the governor and of Parliament must include the "views" of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Government prior to ratification by Parliament |
| Legal system | French civil law | based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age, universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Prefect Serge GOUTEYRON (since 16 December 2020) head of government: President of Territorial Council Daniel GIBBS (since 2 April 2017); First Vice President Valerie DAMASEAU (since 2 April 2017) cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory economic, social, and cultural council elections/appointments: French president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prefect appointed by French president on the advice of French Ministry of Interior; president of Territorial Council elected by its members for a 5-year term; election last held on 26 March 2017 election results: Daniel GIBBS (TDG) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 18 votes, 4 blank, 1 invalid | chief of state: King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands (since 30 April 2013); represented by Governor General Eugene HOLIDAY (since 10 October 2010) head of government: Interim Prime Minister Silveria JACOBS (since 16 January 2020) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the governor-general elections/appointments: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a 6-year term; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party usually elected prime minister by Parliament note - on 16 January 2020, Governor Eugene HOLIDAY appoints Silveria JACOBS as formateur of a new government |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral Territorial Council (23 seats; members directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 5-year terms); Saint Martin elects 1 member to the French Senate and one member (shared with Saint Barthelemy) to the French National Assembly elections: Territorial Council - last held on 18 and 25 March 2017 (next to be held in March 2022) election results: Territorial Council - percent of vote by party (first round) - TDG 49.1%, MJP 13.7%, MVP 12.3%, HOPE 8.7%, Continuons pour Saint-Martin 6.5%, other 9.7%; seats by party - NA; percent of vote by party (second round) - TDG 64.3%, MJP 24.2%, MVP 11.5.5%; seats by party - TDG 18, MJP 4, MVP 1; composition - men 13, women 10, percent of women 43.5% French Senate - held on 28 September 2014 (next to be held not later than September 2020) French National Assembly - last held on 11 and 18 June 2017 (next to be held by June 2022) French Senate - 1 seat: UMP 1 French National Assembly - 1 seat: UMP 1 | description: unicameral Parliament of Sint Maarten (15 seats; members directly elected by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) elections: last held 9 January 2020 (next to be held in 2024) election results: percent of vote by party - NA 35.2%, UP 24.2%, US Party 13.2%, PFP 10.6%, UD 8.7%, other 8.1%; seats by party - NA 6, UP 4, PFP 2, US Party 2, UD 1 |
| Political parties and leaders | Continuons pour St. Martin [Aline HANSON] En marche vers le progres or MVP [Alain RICHARDSON] Gereration Hope or HOPE [Jules CHARVILLE] Movement for Justice and Prosperity or MJP [Louis MUSSINGTON] New Direction [Jeanne VANTERPOOL] Rally Responsibility Success (Rassemblement Responsabilite Reussite or RRR [Alain RICHARDSON] Team Daniel Gibbs 2017 or TDG [Daniel GIBBS] Union for Progress (Union Pour le Progres or UPP) [Louis-Constant FLEMING]; affiliated with UMP | National Alliance or NA [William MARLIN] Party for Progress or PFP [Melissa GUMBS] Sint Maarten Christian Party or SMCP [Wycliffe SMITH] United Democrats Party or UD [Theodore HEYLIGER] United Peoples Party or UP [NA] United Sint Maarten Party or US Party [Frans RICHARDSON] |
| International organization participation | UPU | Caricom (observer), ILO, Interpol, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WMO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas collectivity of France) | none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | embassy: none (overseas collectivity of France) | embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Sint Maarten; the Consul General to Curacao is accredited to Sint Maarten |
| Flag description | the flag of France is used | two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and blue with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the center of the triangle displays the Sint Maarten coat of arms; the arms consist of an orange-bordered blue shield prominently displaying the white court house in Philipsburg, as well as a bouquet of yellow sage (the national flower) in the upper left, and the silhouette of a Dutch-French friendship monument in the upper right; the shield is surmounted by a yellow rising sun in front of which is a brown pelican in flight; a yellow scroll below the shield bears the motto: SEMPER PROGREDIENS (Always Progressing); the three main colors are identical to those on the Dutch flag note: the flag somewhat resembles that of the Philippines but with the main red and blue bands reversed; the banner more closely evokes the wartime Philippine flag |
| National anthem | name: O Sweet Saint Martin's Land lyrics/music: Gerard KEMPS note: the song, written in 1958, is used as an unofficial anthem for the entire island (both French and Dutch sides); as a collectivity of France, in addition to the local anthem, "La Marseillaise" remains official on the French side (see France); as a constituent part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in addition to the local anthem, "Het Wilhelmus" remains official on the Dutch side (see Netherlands) | name: O Sweet Saint Martin's Land lyrics/music: Gerard KEMPS note: the song, written in 1958, is used as an unofficial anthem for the entire island (both French and Dutch sides); as a collectivity of France, in addition to the local anthem, "La Marseillaise" is official on the French side (see France); as a constituent part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in addition to the local anthem, "Het Wilhelmus" is official on the Dutch side (see Netherlands) |
| National symbol(s) | brown pelican | brown pelican, yellow sage (flower); national colors: red, white, blue |
| Citizenship | see France | see the Netherlands |
Source: CIA Factbook
