Democratic Party Sint Maarten

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Political party in Sint Maarten

Democratic Party Sint Maarten

Democratische Partij Sint Maarten

Leader| Sarah Wescott-Williams
President| Hasani Ellis[1]
Founder| Claude Wathey
Clem Labega[2]
Founded| 1954 (1954) (original)[3]
22 January 2023 (refounded)[4]
Dissolved| November 2017 (refounded in January 2023)
Split from| Curaçao Democratic Party (original)
United Democrats (2023)
Merged into| United Democrats (2017)
Youth wing| Professional Young Persons
Ideology| Social liberalism
Progressivism[5]
Political position| Centre to centre-left
Colours|  Red
Parliament of Sint Maarten|

2 / 15

Website
www.dpsxm.com

* Politics of Sint Maarten
* Political parties
* Elections

The Democratic Party Sint Maarten (Dutch: Democratische Partij Sint Maarten) is a political party in Sint Maarten. The party was long associated with its powerful leader, business tycoon Claude Wathey. Wathey stepped down from his leadership post in 1992. The party was dissolved in 2017 and refounded in 2023.

## Dissolution and refoundation

[edit]

In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, which hit the island hard on 6 September 2017 and paralyzed the economy, the Democratic Party and the United People's Party decided to merge to form the United Democrats.[6]

Five years later, on 10 January 2023, a party congress was announced to take place on 22 January. Party leader Sarah Wescott-Williams cited Sint Maarten's "personal (individual) political system" as a cause for political instability and described the upcoming congress as "more than the usual annual council meeting of the party" and a "regeneration meeting".[4]

## Election results

[edit]

### Netherlands Antilles Island Council elections

[edit]

Election  | Leader  | Votes  | %  | Seats  | +/–

|
|
|
|
|

1955 | Claude Wathey | 365  | 66.97%  |

4 / 5

| New
1959 | 392  | 63.84%  |

4 / 5

|  0
1963 | 613  | 71.73%  |

4 / 5

|  0
1967 | Unopposed |

5 / 5

|  1
1971 | 1,234  | 59.44%  |

4 / 5

|  1
1975 | 2,081  |  |

5 / 5

|  1
1979 | 2,126  | 50.50%  |

3 / 5

|  2
1983 | 3,342  | 66.85%  |

5 / 7

|  2
1987 | 5,036  | 74.19%  |

7 / 9

|  2
1991 | 2,837  | 32.88%  |

3 / 9

|  4
1995 | Sarah Wescott-Williams | 4,323  | 45.81%  |

5 / 11

|  2
1999 | 5,601  | 54.42%  |

7 / 11

|  2
2003 | 4,919  | 48.38%  |

6 / 11

|  1
2007 | 6,635  | 49.48%  |

6 / 11

|  0

### Sint Maarten general elections

[edit]

Election  | Leader  | Votes  | %  | Seats  | +/–  | Status

|
|
|
|
|
|

2010 | Sarah Wescott-Williams | 2,340  | 17.11%  |

2 / 15

|  4  | Coalition
2014 | 2,398  | 16.54%  |

2 / 15

|  0  | Opposition (2014-2015)
Coalition (2015-2016)
2016 | 1,813  | 12.76%  |

2 / 15

|  0  | Coalition (2016-2017)
Opposition (2017-2018)
2018 | Merged into United Democrats
2020
Jan 2024 | Sarah Wescot-Williams | 1,970  | 13.64%  |

2 / 15

|  2  | Coalition
Aug 2024 | 2,069  | 15.12%  |

3 / 15

|  1  | TBA

## See also

[edit]

* Democratic Party (Sint Eustatius)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Hasani Ellis elected DP Board President". The Daily Herald. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
2. ^ "Wreath-laying ceremony Saturday in memory of Dr. Claude Wathey". The Daily Herald. Archived from the original on 30 November 2014. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
3. ^ "At 60 and counting, DP reflects on past contributors to the building of the St. Maarten nation". sxmislandtime.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
4. ^ a b "Democratic Party is back, announces party congress". thedailyherald.sx. 22 January 2023.
5. ^ "Jorien Wuite: with a bold move on her way to the Dutch Parliament". StMaartenNews.com. 2020-11-16. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
6. ^ "UP and DP merge as 'United Democrats'". sxm-talks.com. Retrieved 22 January 2023.

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Political parties in Sint Maarten

Current parties|

* National Alliance
* United People's Party
* Unified Resilient St. Maarten Movement
* Democratic Party
* United St. Maarten Party
* St. Maarten Christian Party
* People's Progressive Alliance

Defunct parties|

* Concordia Political Alliance
* National Democratic Party
* National Progressive Party
* One St. Maarten People Party
* Progressive Democratic Party
* Serious Alternative People's Party
* Social Reform Party
* Sint Maarten Patriotic Alliance
* United Democrats

* Portal:Politics
* List of political parties
* Politics of Sint Maarten

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Political parties in the former Netherlands Antilles

Curaçao|

* C93
* Democratic Party (DP)
* Forsa Kòrsou (FK)
* Labour Party People's Crusade (Laboral)
* LPNA
* National People's Party
* New Antilles Movement
* Party for the Restructured Antilles
* Party Workers' Liberation Front 30th of May (Frente Obrero, FOL)
* Sovereign People (PS)

Sint Maarten|

* Democratic Party Sint Maarten
* National Alliance
* Sint Maarten Patriotic Alliance/National Progressive Party
* People's Progressive Alliance

Bonaire|

* Bonaire Patriotic Union
* Bonaire Democratic Party
* Bonaire Social Party

Sint Eustatius|

* Democratic Party
* Progressive Labour Party

Saba|

* Windward Islands People's Movement

* Portal:Politics
* List of political parties
* Politics of the Netherlands Antilles

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