Saint Martin: Government#
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 |
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Dependency status | overseas collectivity of France |
Capital | Marigot
Marigot
geographic coordinates: 18 04 N, 63 05 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) |
Independence | none (overseas collectivity of France) |
National holiday | Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is Schoalcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848) |
Constitution | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) |
Legal system | French civil law |
Citizenship | see France |
Suffrage | 18 years of age, universal |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Francois HOLLANDE (since 15 May 2012); represented by Deputy Prefect Philippe CHOPIN (since 16 November 2011) head of government: President of Territorial Council Aline HANSON (since 17 April 2013) 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 17 April 2013 (next to be held in 2018) election results: Aline HANSON elected president by the Territorial Council |
Legislative branch | description: unicameral Territorial Council (23 seats; members directly elected by absolute majority vote to serve 5-year terms) elections: last held on 18 and 25 March 2012 (next to be held in July 2017) election results: percent of seats by party - RRR 34.1%, Team Daniel Gibbs 2012 32%, UPP 13.3%, Saint-Martin pour tous 9.4%, other 11.2%; seats by party - NA; second round, percent of seats by party - RRR 56.9%, Team Daniel Gibbs 43.1%; seats by party - RRR 17, Team Daniel Gibbs 6 note: Saint Martin elects 1 member to the French Senate; election last held on 28 September 2014 (next to be held not later than September 2017); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1; one seat (shared with Saint Barthelemy) was elected to the French National Assembly on 17 June 2012 (next to be held by June 2017); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1 |
Political parties and leaders | Rally Responsibility Success (Rassemblement Responsabilite Reussite or RRR (Alain RICHARDSON) Team Daniel Gibbs (Daniel GIBBS) Union for Progress (Union Pour le Progres or UPP) (Louis-Constant FLEMING); affiliated with UMP |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA |
International organization participation | UPU |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas collectivity of France) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | 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) |