The Democratic Party Sint Maarten () is a political party in Sint Maarten. The party was long associated with its powerful leader, business tycoon Claude Wathey. Wathey stepped down from his leadership post in 1992. The party was dissolved in 2017 and refounded in 2023.
Dissolution and refoundation In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, which hit the island hard on 6 September 2017 and paralyzed the economy, the Democratic Party and the United People's Party decided to merge to form the United Democrats.
Five years later, on 10 January 2023, a party congress was announced to take place on 22 January. Party leader Sarah Wescott-Williams cited Sint Maarten's "personal (individual) political system" as a cause for political instability and described the upcoming congress as "more than the usual annual council meeting of the party" and a "regeneration meeting".
Election results Netherlands Antilles Island Council elections Election Leader Votes % Seats +/– 1955Claude Wathey 365 66.97% New 1959 392 63.84% 0 1963 613 71.73% 0 1967Unopposed 1 1971 1,234 59.44% 1 1975 2,081 1 1979 2,126 50.50% 2 1983 3,342 66.85% 2 1987 5,036 74.19% 2 1991 2,837 32.88% 4 1995Sarah Wescott-Williams 4,323 45.81% 2 1999 5,601 54.42% 2 2003 4,919 48.38% 1 2007 6,635 49.48% 0
Sint Maarten general elections Election Leader Votes % Seats +/– Status 2010Sarah Wescott-Williams 2,340 17.11% 4 20142,39816.54% 0 20161,81312.76% 0 2018Merged into United Democrats 2020 Jan 2024 Sarah Wescot-Williams 1,970 13.64% 2 Aug 2024 2,069 15.12% 1
See also Democratic Party (Sint Eustatius)
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