Parliament of Aruba facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Parliament of ArubaParlamento di Aruba |
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|---|---|
| 11th Aruban Estates | |
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| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | January 1, 1986 |
| Leadership | |
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Monarch
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Governor
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Alfonso Boekhoudt
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Speaker
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Edgard Vrolijk, MEP
Since 8 July 2021 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 21 |
.svg) |
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Estates political groups
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Government (11)
Opposition (10)
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| Elections | |
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Estates voting system
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Open list proportional representation (D'Hondt method) |
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Estates last election
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25 June 2021 |
| Meeting place | |
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| Parliament building in Oranjestad | |
The Parliament of Aruba is the main law-making body for the island of Aruba. It is also known as the Parlamento di Aruba in Papiamento and Staten van Aruba in Dutch. This parliament has 21 members. These members are chosen by the people of Aruba in an election every four years. They are elected using a system called proportional representation. This means that parties get seats in the parliament based on the percentage of votes they receive. The person who leads the political party that wins the most seats usually becomes the Prime Minister.
Contents
How Members Are Chosen
Understanding Elections in Aruba
Members of the Parliament are elected for a four-year period. They keep their seats until the parliament is officially ended, which happens before a new general election. This system helps make sure that the government truly represents the people.
Recent Election Results
2021 Election Overview
The most recent elections for the Parliament of Aruba took place on June 25, 2021. After the votes were counted, two political parties, the People's Electoral Movement (MEP) and RAIZ, decided to work together. They formed a coalition government. This means they joined forces to have enough seats to lead the country.
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| Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| People's Electoral Movement | 20,701 | 35.32 | 9 | 0 | |
| Aruban People's Party | 18,348 | 31.31 | 7 | –2 | |
| RAIZ | 5,481 | 9.35 | 2 | +2 | |
| Aruban Sovereignty Movement | 4,681 | 7.99 | 2 | +2 | |
| Accion 21 | 3,410 | 5.82 | 1 | New | |
| Aruban Patriotic Party | 1,785 | 3.05 | 0 | 0 | |
| Democratic Network | 1,784 | 3.04 | 0 | –1 | |
| Proud and Respected People | 661 | 1.13 | 0 | –2 | |
| Patriotic Progressive Union | 622 | 1.06 | 0 | 0 | |
| Pueblo Prome | 575 | 0.98 | 0 | New | |
| Cristiannan Uni Reforzando Potencial di Aruba | 309 | 0.53 | 0 | 0 | |
| Hubentud Treciendo Cambio | 249 | 0.42 | 0 | New | |
| Total | 58,606 | 100.00 | 21 | 0 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 70,283 | – | |||
| Source: Overheid | |||||
The Parliament Building
The building where the Parliament of Aruba meets was first opened in 1975. Before this, the local council, which was similar to the parliament, had to rent different places in Oranjestad for almost 25 years. The building is officially called "Edificio di parlemento di Aruba."
Aruba's Special Status
On January 1, 1986, Aruba gained a special status called Status aparte. This made Aruba a separate country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, similar to how states are part of a larger country. After this, the Parliament of Aruba took over from the old Island Council.
Building Expansion
In 2011, work began to make the Parliament Building much larger. This expansion helps the parliament have more space for its important work.
More to Explore
Want to learn more? Check out the article about the Parliament of Aruba for kids in Spanish: Parlamento de Aruba para niños
- List of presidents of the Estates of Aruba
