Aruba Opposition Wins Landslide Victory

by Robert Lee, Tax-News.com, London

03 October 2001

With a positive turnout of around 90 per cent of Aruba's 56,000 registered voters, the Island's national elections ended last week with the government's main opposition, the People's Electoral Movement Party (MEP) winning 12 out of 21 Parliamentary seats making it the first single political party to take control of the Island since the early 1980s.

The results left the ruling coalition government of Aruba to come to terms with its defeat. Led by Prime Minister Henny Eman from the People's Party with the smaller Aruba Liberal Organisation Party (ALO), the coalition government collapsed in June this year over arguments concerning whether or not the tourist ministry should become a semi-private agency.

Although Holland retains responsibility for all matters relating to defense, judicial appointments, applications for citizenship and foreign affairs, Aruba has full autonomy in all internal matters.

An Aruba Daily Herald editorial welcomed the change in leadership but raised concerns over the risks of concentrating political power within a one-party system which could lead to lack of accountability. 'It is therefore all the more important,' states the editorial, 'that each and every one of the 21 Parliament members to be sworn in ... demands a more prominent role.'

It added: 'Aruba, more than ever, needs to rid itself of a Parliament where coalition members support everything government says or does almost unconditionally, giving it a "rubber stamp" status. The challenge for especially the new generation of senators is daring to control even their own ministers.'

The members of parliament, led by Prime Minister elect, Nelson Oduber, will be sworn in on October 30.

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