Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba are part of the six islands under the Dutch sovereignty which are collectively known as the Caribbean Netherlands or the BES Islands. The three islands became part of the Netherlands on October 10, 2010. As special municipalities, the islands are now part of the Netherlands, which means the government of the Netherlands has assumed public administration in the act of Parliament (Wet Openbare lichamen BES). The government of Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy.

On the Islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba, voters aged 18 years and older are eligible to vote. However, they must be residents of the island on nomination day. Under the Dutch Electoral Act, the island councils should consist of seven members appointed by a royal decree for four years. They are suitable for reappointed twice. Furthermore, each island has an electoral committee who is responsible for carrying out the election. On voting days, the electoral body invites voters to cast their vote no later than fourteen days prior to the elections. Interestingly, voters can also vote by proxy by authorizing someone else to vote on their behalf.

The government House of Bonaire is near Plasa Wilhelmina next to Fort Orange. The house was built in 1890 block style and was officially opened in 1980 as the Parliament House. The Parliament of Sint Eustatius is in Oranjestad, the capital city. The building adopted an 18th-century style of stone and wood and now serves as the government headquarters. Furthermore, the government house of Saba is in The Bottom, the capital city of the island of Saba. Like most buildings in Saba, it is typically designed in wood and built on a stone foundation.

The Bonaire Patriotic Union, the Bonaire Social Party, and the Bonaire Democratic Party are the political parties currently operating in the islands.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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