Latest news with #Surinameelections
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jennifer Geerlings-Simons becomes Suriname's first woman president
Lawmakers elected Jennifer Geerlings-Simons as Suriname's first woman president on Sunday, after her party won the most seats in legislative elections in May. The 71-year-old former opposition leader was left the sole candidate for president after her rivals decided on Thursday not to nominate anyone to lead the small country on South America's northern coast. Geerlings-Simons' National Democratic Party (NDP) won 18 of the 51 seats in congress, more than those of the centrist VHP party of outgoing president Chan Santokhi. The NDP had already entered into an agreement with five other parties with which it jointly holds 34 seats in parliament. The NDP was founded by former coup leader and autocrat-turned-elected-president Desi Bouterse, who died in hiding in December 2024. Santokhi's party had also hoped to form a coalition to remain in power, but said in a statement that it had decided not to oppose Geerlings-Simons' election. Suriname, a diverse country made up of descendants of people from India, Indonesia, China, the Netherlands, Indigenous groups and African slaves, marks its 50th anniversary of independence from the Dutch throne this November. In recent years, it has looked increasingly toward China as a political ally and trading partner and, in 2019, became one of the first Latin American countries to join the Asian giant's Belt and Road infrastructure drive. The former Dutch colony of 600,000 inhabitants, one of the poorest countries in South America, is hoping that an oil boom will bring prosperity. bur-st/dw
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jennifer Geerlings-Simons becomes Suriname's first woman president
Lawmakers elected Jennifer Geerlings-Simons as Suriname's first woman president on Sunday, after her party won the most seats in legislative elections in May. The 71-year-old former opposition leader was left the sole candidate for president after her rivals decided on Thursday not to nominate anyone to lead the small country on South America's northern coast. Geerlings-Simons' National Democratic Party (NDP) won 18 of the 51 seats in congress, more than those of the centrist VHP party of outgoing president Chan Santokhi. The NDP had already entered into an agreement with five other parties with which it jointly holds 34 seats in parliament. The NDP was founded by former coup leader and autocrat-turned-elected-president Desi Bouterse, who died in hiding in December 2024. Santokhi's party had also hoped to form a coalition to remain in power, but said in a statement that it had decided not to oppose Geerlings-Simons' election. Suriname, a diverse country made up of descendants of people from India, Indonesia, China, the Netherlands, Indigenous groups and African slaves, marks its 50th anniversary of independence from the Dutch throne this November. In recent years, it has looked increasingly toward China as a political ally and trading partner and, in 2019, became one of the first Latin American countries to join the Asian giant's Belt and Road infrastructure drive. The former Dutch colony of 600,000 inhabitants, one of the poorest countries in South America, is hoping that an oil boom will bring prosperity. bur-st/dw
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Geerlings-Simons set to be Suriname's first woman president
Opposition leader Jennifer Geerlings-Simons is set to become Suriname's first woman president after her rivals decided Thursday against nominating their own candidate to lead the small South American country. The move cleared the way for legislators to elect Geerlings-Simons, 71, in a vote scheduled for Sunday, after her party won the most seats in legislative elections in May. The former Dutch colony of 600,000 inhabitants, one of the poorest countries in South America, is hoping that an oil boon will bring prosperity. Geerlings-Simons' National Democratic Party (NDP) won 18 of the 51 seats in congress, more than those of the centrist VHP party of outgoing president Chan Santokhi. The NDP had already entered into an agreement with five other parties with which it jointly holds 34 seats in parliament. The NDP was founded by former coup leader and autocrat-turned-elected-president Desi Bouterse, who died in hiding in December 2024. Santokhi's party had also hoped to form a coalition to remain in power, but said in a statement that it had decided not to oppose Geerlings-Simons' election. Parliament Speaker Ashin Adhin told reporters that the legislature had received only the NDP's nomination, supported by 34 legislators, the necessary supermajority. Suriname, a diverse country made up of descendants of people from India, Indonesia, China, the Netherlands, Indigenous groups and African slaves, marks its 50th anniversary of independence from the Dutch throne this November. In recent years, it has looked increasingly toward China as a political ally and trading partner and, in 2019, became one of the first Latin American countries to join the Asian giant's Belt and Road infrastructure drive. ra-jt/dr/jgc
Washington Post
28-05-2025
- General
- Washington Post
A new coalition challenges Suriname's president after a close election
PARAMARIBO, Suriname — Suriname could soon have its first female president after a party led by a medical doctor formed a coalition aimed at ousting the South American country's current leader following a weekend election with no clear winner. Dr. Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, of the National Democratic Party, formed a coalition with five other parties late Tuesday as workers still tallied votes from Sunday's National Assembly election. The chamber chooses the president by a two-thirds vote.
Associated Press
28-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
A new coalition challenges Suriname's president after a close election
PARAMARIBO, Suriname (AP) — Suriname could soon have its first female president after a party led by a medical doctor formed a coalition aimed at ousting the South American country's current leader following a weekend election with no clear winner. Dr. Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, of the National Democratic Party, formed a coalition with five other parties late Tuesday as workers still tallied votes from Sunday's National Assembly election. The chamber chooses the president by a two-thirds vote. The coalition was formed as the troubled country prepares for an influx of wealth following the discovery of major offshore oil deposits, with the first production expected by 2028. The National Democratic Party has so far secured 18 seats in the 51-member National Assembly, while the Progressive Reform Party of President Chandrikapersad Santokhi clinched 17, losing three seats in the election. However, votes at some polling stations were still being counted, and recounts in some places were already underway in the Dutch-speaking country of more than 646,000 people. Once preliminary results are confirmed, the National Assembly would then meet to choose a president. The coalition headed by Geerlings-Simons so far appears to hold 34 seats, which would be just enough to muster a two-thirds majority. Geerlings-Simons took leadership of the National Democratic Party from Desi Bouterse, a former dictator convicted of murder who left the country in financial ruin. He died last year. Joining her to form a coalition was the Alternative 2020 party; the Brotherhood and Unity in Politics party; the General Liberation and Development Party founded by vice president and former rebel leader Ronnie Brunswijk; the National Party of Suriname; and the Pertjajah Luhur Party. The last three parties used to back Suriname's president in a coalition but recently have dropped their support, accusing him of not involving them in policy creation. Santokhi's five-year presidency also was riddled with corruption scandals, and he was forced to call on the International Monetary Fund to get Suriname's economy back on track. As a result, the country's nearly $4 million public debt was largely restructured and government subsidies reduced. Macroeconomically, Santokhi achieved success, but people groaned under the austerity measures, which sparked violent protests.
