Electoral Notes on the Referendum in Curaçao held on 15 May 2009 Author: Dr. Miguel P. Goede Affiliation: Social Economic Department of the University of the Netherlands Antilles Address: Jan Noorduynweg 111, Curaçao, NA Telephone number: (5999) 561-6853 Fax number: (5999) 767-7888 Email:
[email protected] Abstract On the 15 May 2009 Curaçao went to the polls to vote in a third referendum on the constitutional future of the island. An intense campaign was held by the parties involved. The result was 52% ‘Yes’ and 48% ‘No’. This has led to much debate about what should happen next. Keywords Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles, Constitutional reform, Referendum, Right to self- determination, Elections. Background The Netherlands Antilles consist of five islands (Curaçao, Bonaire, Saint Marten, Saint Eustatius and Saba). Curaçao is the biggest island of the five. The Netherlands, The Netherlands Antilles and Aruba together constitute the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 1954 The Netherlands Antilles obtained internal self rule. In 1986, after years of struggle and a referendum held in 1977, Aruba obtained a ‘status aparte’ (autonomy) within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and so stepped out of the Netherlands Antilles. After that the Netherlands Antilles had to start a process of reform. The referendum which is the focus of the present study was held on 15 May 2009. This was the third referendum, following earlier ones held in 1993 and 2005. This referendum must be understood in the context of the constitutional reform of the Netherlands Antilles, and the assertion of the right to self-determination as defined by the United Nations.note: welk document? Other important aspects of the context are the elections for the parliament of the Netherlands Antilles held in January 2006 and the Island Council elections held in April 2007.