Democracy should not be reduced to a simple notion of majority rule, according to the Council of State (see related story) in its 2024 annual report, which this year refers to not only developments in the Netherlands and across Europe but also the current political situation in Curaçao, where the next government will be formed by a single party. If “the majority decides” is all it means, much is lost: open debate, the search for compromise and consensus, and the principle that the majority must consider the rights of the minority, Vice President Thom de Graaf wrote.
“Democracy is a continuous process of shared, mutual influence that requires debate and the exchange of ideas – not only in politics, but first and foremost within society itself,” the kingdom advisory body noted. Politicians, it added, carry a special responsibility to lead by example.
How the next “Movementu Futuro Korsou” (MFK) cabinet in Willemstad backed by 13 of 21 parliamentary seats fares will be interesting to see. It’s often suggested that the need to forge coalitions inhibits effective governing and executing campaign action programmes due to resulting compromise.
The counter argument is that concentrating too much political power in one group can be dangerous. Ensuring proper checks and balances becomes even more important under such circumstances.
Perhaps this is something to be discussed further at the St. Maarten Institute for Public Policy Studies (SIPPS) Town Hall about electoral reform reported on in Tuesday’s newspaper. There are plenty of examples where the biggest party in an election is guaranteed a legislative majority, while still allowing substantial representation of others on the ballot.
Always keep in mind, though, that no system of government is perfect and their functioning very much depends on the qualities of those directly involved.
