# Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles

The Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles (Dutch: Staten van de Nederlandse Antillen; Papiamento: Parlamento di Antias Hulandes), also translated as the Estates of the Netherlands Antilles, was the parliament of the Netherlands Antilles. It comprised 22 members, elected for a four-year term in three multi-seat constituencies and two single-seat constituencies. On 10 October 2010, the Netherlands Antilles were dissolved, and so was the parliament.

## History

On 20 December 1937, the first parliamentary election took place following the reorganization of the Colonial Council of Curaçao and Dependencies. The first Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles consisted of 15 members, of which 5 were appointed by the Governor of the Netherlands Antilles and 10 were elected through elections held in the territories. In 1949, universal suffrage was introduced and parliament grew from 15 to 21 seats. Beginning in 1950, the Parliament consisted out of 22 seats, elected through proportional representation for a period 4 years.

## Seats

Number of seats by constituency :
| Constituency | Constituency | Timespan | Timespan | Timespan | Timespan | Timespan |
| Constituency | Constituency | 1938–1945 | 1945–1949 | 1949–1950 | 1950–1985 | 1986–2010 |
| Aruba | Aruba | 2 | 3 | 8 | 8 | – |
| Bonaire | Bonaire | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Curaçao | Curaçao | 6 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 14 |
| Windward Islands | Windward Islands | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | – |
| | Saba | – | – | 1 | – | 3 |
| | Sint Eustatius | – | – | 1 | – | 1 |
| | Sint Maarten | – | – | 1 | – | 1 |
| Appointed members | Appointed members | 5 | 5 | – | – | – |
| Total | Total | 15 | 15 | 21 | 22 | 22 |

## List of presidents

Following the 1937 general election, the Members of the Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles elected J.H. Sprockel as the first president of the Parliament. The last person to hold this position was Pedro Atacho (2007–2010).
Presidents of the Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles :
| No. | Name | Term of office | Party | Constituency |
| 1 | J.H. Sprockel | 1938-1945 | CKP | Curaçao |
| 2 | A.W. Desertine | 1945-1947 | CKP | Curaçao |
| 3 | E.A. Romer | 1947-1949 | CKP | Curaçao |
| 4 | J.E. Yrausquin | 1949-1950 | PPA | Aruba |
| 5 | W.R. Plantz | 1950-1951 | − | − |
| 6 | J.C. Debrol | 1951-1952 | KVP | Curaçao |
| 7 | P.C. Henriquez | 1952-1953 | NVP | Curaçao |
| 8 | J.E. Yrausquin | 1954-1956 | PPA | Aruba |
| 9 | R.J. Isa | 1956-1959 | DP | Curaçao |
| 10 | J.A.O. Bikker | 1959-1966 | DP | Curaçao |
| 11 | O.R.A. Beaujon | 1966-1968 | DP | Curaçao |
| 12 | L.A. Abraham | 1968-1969 | PDB | Bonaire |
| 13 | C.E. Cathalina | 1969-1971 | DP | Curaçao |
| 14 | F.L. Maduro | 1971-1973 | PRO | Aruba |
| 15 | R. ElHage | 1973-1975 | PSD | Curaçao |
| 16 | F.D. Figaroa | 1975-1976 | MEP | Aruba |
| 17 | A. Nita | 1976-1977 | FOL | Curaçao |
| 18 | J.A.O. Bikker | 1977-1979 | DP | Curaçao |
| 19 | F.D. Figaroa | 1979 | MEP | Aruba |
| 20 | G.F. Croes | 1979-1980 | MEP | Aruba |
| 21 | P. Bislip | 1980-1982 | ADN | Aruba |
| 22 | R.A.E. Markes | 1982 | MAN | Example |
| 23 | R. Lopez Henriquez | 1983 | AVP | Aruba |
| 24 | R.A.E. Markes | 1984-1985 | MAN | Curaçao |
| 25 | J.A.O. Bikker | 1986-1988 | DP | Curaçao |
| 26 | E.A.V. Jesrun | 1988 | NVP | Curaçao |
| 27 | H. Thomas | 1988-1990 | NVP | Curaçao |
| 28 | R.F. McWilliam | 1990-1993 | NVP | Curaçao |
| 29 | D.A.S. Lucia | 1993-1994 | FOL | Curaçao |
| 30 | L.A. George-Wout | 1994-1998 | PAR | Curaçao |
| 31 | E.A. Cova | 1998-1999 | PLKP | Curaçao |
| 32 | D.A.S. Lucia | 2001-2005 | FOL | Curaçao |
| 33 | D.E. Puriel | 2006 | MAN | Curaçao |
| 34 | R.J. Francisca | 2006-2007 | MAN | Curaçao |
| 35 | P.J. Atacho | 2007-2010 | PAR | Curaçao |