On paper the proposed electoral reforms (see Thursday paper) appear reasonable enough. Based on the “free mandate” principle Members of Parliament (MPs) still will be able to declare themselves independent from the fraction of
the party on the list of which they got in, but their seats then no longer can be used for the majority needed to form a government.
That doesn’t stop these legislators from, for example, siding with the opposition to, for example, pass motions or initiative laws contrary to the governing coalition’s wishes and policies, but they can’t help replace the Council of Ministers. The lack of any role in choosing a new cabinet and appointing its members thus should make so-called “ship-jumping” a lot less attractive.
One could argue that this creates seats of a different, lesser value, but the representatives after all were elected on the platforms of political organisations that nowadays must comply with several requirements and restrictions concerning their financing and the like. If local parties are to become more responsible, transparent and democratic in nature, they also must receive at least some respect from individual candidates, especially as recent experience shows most don’t earn their own seats with preferential votes.
Evidently the Kingdom Government too will have to give its blessings before the amendment is debated by the Parliament in Philipsburg. The process requires seeking advice of both the local Advisory Council and the Council of State in The Hague as well.
On top of that, the intention is to adjust the Electoral Law and make it possible for specifically St. Maarten students registered abroad to vote. Certain rules also are to be strictly enforced regarding campaigning, such as the removal of all related paraphernalia from along the public roads 48 hours before adult resident Dutch citizens go to the polls.
The latter seems relatively simple, but getting the former law changes adopted and implemented in time for the September 26 elections may prove a tall order. With less than four months to go until Nomination Day on August 8 it’s perhaps not impossible in theory, but hardly probable in practice.
