Saint Martin Government - 2024

Country name

conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin

conventional short form: Saint Martin

local long form: Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Martin

local short form: Saint-Martin

etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island after Saint MARTIN of Tours because the 11 November 1493 day of discovery was the saint's feast day

Government type

parliamentary democracy (Territorial Council); overseas collectivity of France

Dependency status

overseas collectivity of France

note: the only French overseas collectivity that is part of the EU

Capital

name: Marigot

geographic coordinates: 18 04 N, 63 05 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: marigot is a French term referring to a body of water, a watercourse, a side-stream, or a tributary rivulet; the name likely refers to a stream at the site of the city's original founding

Independence

none (overseas collectivity of France)

National holiday

Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - local holiday is Schoelcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848), as well as St. Martin's Day, 11 November (1985), which commemorates the discovery of the island by COLUMBUS on Saint Martin's Day, 11 November 1493; the latter holiday celebrated on both halves of the island

Constitution

history: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

amendments: amendment procedures of France's constitution apply

Legal system

French civil law

Citizenship

see France

Suffrage

18 years of age, universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Prefect Vincent BERTON (since 28 March 2022)

head of government: President of Territorial Council Louis MUSSINGTON (since 3 April 2022); First Vice President Alain RICHARDSON (since 3 April 2022)

cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory economic, social, and cultural council

elections/appointments: French president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prefect appointed by French president on the advice of French Ministry of Interior; president of Territorial Council elected by its members for a 5-year term; election last held on 3 April 2022 (next to be held in 2027)

election results:
2022: Louis MUSSINGTON (RSM) elected president; Territorial Council vote - unanimous

2017: Daniel Gibbs (UD) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 18 of 23 votes

Legislative branch

description: unicameral Territorial Council (23 seats; members directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 5-year terms); Saint Martin elects 1 member to the French Senate and 1 member (shared with Saint Barthelemy) to the French National Assembly

elections: Territorial Council - first round held on 20 March and second round held on 27 March 2022 (next to be held in March 2027)

election results: Territorial Council - percent of vote by party (first round) - RSM 25.4%, UD 24.7%, HOPE 17.5%, Saint Martin with You 13.8%, Alternative 11.2%, Future Saint Martin 7.5%; percent of vote by party (second round) - RSM and Alternative 49.1%, UD 33.3%, HOPE, Saint Martin with You, and Future Saint Martin 17.6%; seats by party - RSM and Alternative 16, UD 5, HOPE, Saint Martin with You, and Future Saint Martin 2; composition - men 13, women 10, percent of women 43.5%

French Senate - last held on 27 September 2020 (next to be held not later than September 2023) French National Assembly - last held on 12 and 19 June 2022 (next to be held by June 2027) French Senate - 1 seat: UMP 1 French National Assembly - 1 seat: UMP 1

Political parties and leaders

Alternative [Valerie DAMASEAU]
Future Saint Martin (Avenir Saint Martin) [Yawo NYUIADZI]
Generation Hope or HOPE [Jules CHARVILLE]
Rassemblement Saint-Martinois or RSM [Louis MUSSINGTON] (formerly Movement for Justice and Prosperity or MJP)
Saint Martin with You [James HAMLET]
Union for Democracy or UD [Daniel GIBBS]

International organization participation

UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy: none (overseas collectivity of France)

Flag description

the flag of France is used

National symbol(s)

brown pelican

National anthem

name: "O Sweet Saint Martin's Land"

lyrics/music: Gerard KEMPS

note: the song, written in 1958, is used as an unofficial anthem for the entire island (both French and Dutch sides); as a collectivity of France, in addition to the local anthem, "La Marseillaise" remains official on the French side (see France); as a constituent part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in addition to the local anthem, "Het Wilhelmus" remains official on the Dutch side (see Netherlands)