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In the parliamentary elections of January 18, 2002, the Frente Obrero Liberashon (FOL) gained 5 of the 14 seats available in CuraÁao, expelling the 2001 coalition on a campaign for social spending and poverty alleviation. This was in contrast to the previous government, which emphasized its commitment to International Monetary Fund (IMF) reform recommendations. A coalition government was formed in May 2002 which did not include the FOL because of disagreements with the other two largest CuraÁao-based parties. However, island-level elections in May 2003 provoked a reshuffling of the national government, leading to a new coalition led once again by the FOL in July 2003. A series of corruption scandals involving the FOL leadership led several parties in the governing coalition to withdraw support in April 2004, causing yet another reshuffle of the government and the emergence of a new governing coalition led by the Antillean Restructuring Party (PAR). In May 2005, the Labor Party (PLKP) was forced out of the coalition and its leader, Errol Cova, lost his positions as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs and Labor over differences with regards to relations with Venezuela. Drug smuggling by means of swallowing narcotics packets and boarding flights is a major issue for the Netherlands Antilles. This has caused tension with the Netherlands, to which most smugglers are bound, although recent efforts at combating this problem have been successful. In 1993 a referendum confirmed the place of all islands within the union, despite earlier talks debating the constitutional status of the islands in the early 1990s. In 2000, the issue again arose, and in June 2000, Sint Maarten held a nonbinding referendum in which 69% of the population voted for status aparte--independence from the federation within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In late 2004, voters in Bonaire (59.5%) and Saba (86%) voted to become part of the Netherlands. Finally, in 2005 nonbinding referendums, 68% of voters in Curacao chose status aparte, while 76.6% in St. Eustatius voted for continuation of the Netherlands Antilles. Discussions are underway among all parties of the Kingdom, including Aruba, regarding new constitutional structures between the Dutch Caribbean islands and the Netherlands. National elections for the Netherlands Antilles are planned for January 27, 2006. |
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