United Democrats (Sint Maarten)

The United Democrats is a political party on Sint Maarten. The party was originally a merger between the Democratic Party (DP) and the United People's Party (UP).[2] The UP left and re-established itself in 2020, leaving the United Democrats as essentially a direct continuation of the Democratic Party.

United Democrats
LeaderTheodore Heyliger
Deputy LeaderSarah Wescot-Williams
PresidentStuart Johnson
Founded23 November 2017 (23 November 2017)[1]
Merger ofDemocratic Party
United People's Party (until 2020)
IdeologyChristian left
Christian democracy
Social democracy
Political positionCentre-left
Colours       
Parliament of Sint Maarten
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In 2009, the grandson of the founder of the DP, Theo Heyliger, decided to leave the DP. Heyliger then founded the UP and contested the next three elections. In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, which hit the island hard on 6 September 2017 and paralyzed the economy, the DP and the UP decided to merge.

On 8 January 2018 it became known that the party had the required number of statements of support and could participate in the parliamentary elections in 2018.[3] Heyliger was the leader and Sarah Wescot-Williams was number two on the list. During the elections, the UD became the largest party in the Estates of Sint Maarten with 7 seats.[4][5]

At the elections in January 2020 they lost 6 of their 7 seats, leaving them with only a single member in the Estates.

References
  1. "New political party seeks registration". The Daily Herald. 23 November 2017.
  2. "UP and DP merge as 'United Democrats'". The Daily Herald. 5 January 2018.
  3. "United Democrats surpasses needed signature count". The Daily Herald. 8 January 2018.
  4. "United Democrats secured most seats in parliament". SMN News. 27 February 2018.
  5. "UD and SMCP signed formation agreement on close to midnight on Thursday". SMN News. 6 April 2018.


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