WILLEMSTAD – There are at least 19 political parties registered to participate in the upcoming elections. According to various political analysts, this clearly shows how divided the island is when it comes to politics.

Of the 19 parties, 6 are currently represented in parliament. This means that these parties will automatically participate in the elections of September 30, 2016. The other 13 parties (or more) will have to go through the pre-election process. They have to gather at least one percent of the simple quota of the last election in signatures to be able to participate in the elections.

The simple quota is the minimum number of votes required for a party or candidate to capture a seat in parliament.

The parties that currently are represented in parliament are the coalition parties Partido Nashonal (PNP), Pueblo Soberano (PS), Partido Alternativa Real (PAR) and Partido Adelanto Inovativo Solidario (PAIS); the opposition parties are Movementu Futuro Korsou (MFK) and Partido MAN.

There are also a record number of Independent MPs. These are Omayra Leeflang (formerly PAR), Glenn Sulvaran (formerly PAR), Marilyn Moses (formerly PAIS) and Charles Cooper (formerly MAN). Leeflang, Moses and Cooper have announced that they will form their own parties, but will have to go through the pre-election round, because their seats do not belong to their new parties.

Old parties without a seat in parliament are Frente Obrero (Workers Front) with the popular leader Anthony Godett and Partido Demokrat (Democratic Party) which recently presented their lists with all female candidates.

Former Prime Minister of Curaçao Ivar Asjes also formed his new party Partido Pro Korsou. Independent MP Omayra Leeflang has also been very active promoting her new party Un Korsou Hustu (A Just Curaçao) and recently presented her candidates for the upcoming elections. She will have to go through the pre-election process first. Charles Cooper, the former leader of the opposition party MAN, broke off with his party to form Partido Aliansa Sosial (Social Alliance Party). His party will also have to go through the pre-election round of gathering signatures.

Parties of former Pueblo Soberano members are Movementu Kousa Prome of former Minister of Education Rene Rosalia, 1-Team Magno from the brother of the late politician Helmin Wiels, Aubert Wiels and Partido Pro Korsou.

Many have expressed their disgust on social media saying that 19 parties are just too much for a small island of 150 thousand people.

Bron: CuracaoChronicle