Country name:
conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin
conventional short form: Saint Martin
local long form: Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Martin
local short form: Saint-Martin
etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island after Saint MARTIN of Tours because the 11 November 1493 day of discovery was the saint's feast day
Dependency status:
overseas collectivity of France
note: the only French overseas collectivity that is part of the EU
Capital:
name: Marigot
geographical coordinates: 18 04 N, 63 05 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Independence:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
National holiday:
Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - local holiday is Schoalcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848)
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
French civil law
Citizenship:
see France
Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal
[see also: Suffrage country ranks ]
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Prefect Anne LAUBIES (since 8 June 2015)
head of government: President of Territorial Council Daniel GIBBS (since 2 April 2017)
cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory economic, social, and cultural council
elections/appointments: French president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prefect appointed by French president on the advice of French Ministry of Interior; president of Territorial Council elected by its members for a 5-year term; election last held on 17 April 2013 (next to be held in 2018)
election results: Aline HANSON elected president; Territorial Council vote - NA
Legislative branch:
description: unicameral Territorial Council (23 seats; members directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 5-year terms); Saint Martin elects 1 member to the French Senate and one member (shared with Saint Barthelemy) to the French National Assembly
elections: Territorial Council - last held on 18 and 25 March 2017 (next to be held in March 2022)
French Senate - held on 28 September 2014 (next to be held not later than September 2020)
French National Assembly - last held on 11 and 18 June 2017 (next to be held by June 2022)
election results: Territorial Council - percent of vote by party (first round) - TDG 49.1%, MJP 13.7%, MVP 12.3%, HOPE 8.7%, Continuons pour Saint-Martin 6.5%, other 9.7%; seats by party - NA; percent of vote by party (second round) - TDG 64.3%, MJP 24.2%, MVP 11.5.5%; seats by party - TDG 18, MJP 4, MVP 1
French Senate - 1 seat: UMP 1
French National Assembly - 1 seat: UMP 1
Political parties and leaders:
Continuons pour St. Martin [Aline HANSON]
En marche vers le progres or MVP [Alain RICHARDSON]
Gereration Hope or HOPE [Jules CHARVILLE]
Movement for Justice and Prosperity or MJP [Louis MUSSINGTON]
New Direction [Jeanne VANTERPOOL]
Rally Responsibility Success (Rassemblement Responsabilite Reussite or RRR [Alain RICHARDSON]
Team Daniel Gibbs 2017 or TDG [Daniel GIBBS]
Union for Progress (Union Pour le Progres or UPP) [Louis-Constant FLEMING]; affiliated with UMP
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Flag description:
the flag of France is used
National symbol(s):
brown pelican
National anthem:
name: "O Sweet Saint Martin's Land"
lyrics/music: Gerard KEMPS
note: the song, written in 1958, is used as an unofficial anthem for the entire island (both French and Dutch sides); as a collectivity of France, in addition to the local anthem, "La Marseillaise" remains official on the French side (see France); as a constituent part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in addition to the local anthem, "Het Wilhelmus" remains official on the Dutch side (see Netherlands)