Sovereign People
Papiamentu: Pueblo Soberano
Dutch: Souverein Volk
LeaderBen Whiteman
ChairpersonSiegfried Victorina
Donald Balentina
FounderHelmin Wiels
Founded2005[1]
IdeologyCuraçao independence
Left-wing nationalism[citation needed]
Anti-corruption
Political positionLeft-wing[citation needed]
ColoursDark red, orange, cream
Estates of Curaçao
0 / 21

Sovereign People (Dutch: Souverein Volk, Papiamento: Pueblo Soberano) is a political party in Curaçao founded in 2005 by Helmin Wiels and Harold Willems.[1] The party aims for complete independence of Curaçao outside the Kingdom of the Netherlands.[2] In 2012 Wiels stated that Curaçao could become independent within 10 years.

In the Curaçao 2010 elections, Pueblo Sobrerano won 4 seats[3] and became part of the governing coalition of the Cabinet Schotte on 10 October 2010. It became the largest party in the Estates of Curaçao after the Curaçao general election of 2012.[4]

Pueblo Soberano was headed by Helmin Wiels[1] until his murder in May 2013.[5] On 14 December 2015, Jaime Córdoba was elected the new political leader of Pueblo Soberano and succeeded Helmin Wiels. He was the sole candidate in the party elections.[6] Córdoba was succeeded by Ben Whiteman in October 2018.[7]

PS won 2 seats in the 2016 and 1 in the 2017 elections. After the 2021 elections the PS lost all seats.

The party opposes same-sex marriage.[8][9][10]

Election results

Curaçao island council elections
Year Leader Votes % Seats
2007 Helmin Wiels 5,494 7.38
1 / 21
Netherlands Antilles general elections
Year Votes Seats
2006 Helmin Wiels 3,360
0 / 14
2010 10,789
2 / 14
Year Leader Votes +/– votes Seats +/– seats Government
2010 Helmin Wiels 13,886 (#3)
4 / 21
 Increase 3 Coalition
2012 19,715 (#1) Increase 5,829
5 / 21
 Increase 1 Coalition
2016 Jaime Córdoba 5,323 (#6) Decrease 14,392
2 / 21
 Decrease 3 Opposition
2017 4,029 (#6) Decrease 1,294
1 / 21
 Decrease 1 Opposition
2021 Ben Whiteman 1,215 (#15) Decrease 2,814
0 / 21
 Decrease 1 Extra-parliamentary

Netherlands Antilles

The party participated in the Netherlands Antilles general elections as well as those of the Island council of Curaçao until the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles. The party held two seats of the 14-seat Curaçao constituency in the 22-seat Estates of the Netherlands Antilles in 2010,[11] (after obtaining no seats in 2006).[12]

The party won a single seat at the island council elections in Curaçao in 2007.[13] At the 2010 elections, the party obtained 3 seats in the Island council, which became the estates of Curaçao on 10 October 2010.

References

  1. ^ a b c Leoni Leidel-Schenk (12 October 2012). "Partijen aan het woord: Pueblo Soberano" (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  2. ^ "Pueblo Soberano Will Lead The Coalition". Curaçao Chronicle. 20 October 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
  3. ^ "Eilandsraadverkiezingen, 27 augustus 2010". Main Electoral Office, Curaçao (Conseho Supremo Elektoral) (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  4. ^ "Pueblo Soberano Biggest Party After Elections 2012". Curaçao Chronicle. 19 October 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
  5. ^ "Curacao politician assassinated". RJR News. 6 May 2013.
  6. ^ "Jaime Cordoba nieuwe leider Pueblo Soberano" (in Dutch). Dolfijn FM. 14 December 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  7. ^ "Ben Whiteman gekozen tot nieuwe leider Pueblo Soberano". curacao.nu (in Dutch). 8 October 2018. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Statenlid Jaime Cordoba: Pueblo Soberano zal als partij nooit voor een homohuwelijk stemmen". Paradise FM 103.1 (in Dutch). 2019-07-16. Retrieved 2021-05-10.
  9. ^ "Homohuwelijk splijt politiek". Curacao.nu (in Dutch). 2019-07-17. Retrieved 2021-05-10.
  10. ^ "Parlementariër vraagt kerkleiders om zich uit te spreken tegen Gaypride". caribischnetwerk.ntr.nl (in Dutch). 2013-09-26. Retrieved 2021-05-10.
  11. ^ "Totaaluitslag 2010". Main Electoral Office, Curaçao (Conseho Supremo Elektoral) (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  12. ^ "Totaaluitslag 2006". Main Electoral Office, Curaçao (Conseho Supremo Elektoral) (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  13. ^ "Eilandsraadverkiezingen, 2007". Main Electoral Office, Curaçao (Conseho Supremo Elektoral) (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 October 2012.
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