2025 Surinamese general election explained

Country:Suriname
Previous Election:2020
Next Election:2030
Election Date:25 May 2025
Seats For Election:All 51 seats in the National Assembly
Majority Seats:26
Ongoing:yes
Party1:Progressive Reform Party (Suriname)
Leader1:Chan Santokhi
Last Election1:9
Current Seats1:20
Party2:National Democratic Party (Suriname)
Leader2:Jennifer Geerlings-Simons
Last Election2:26
Current Seats2:16
Party3:National Party of Suriname
Leader3:Gregory Rusland
Last Election3:2
Current Seats3:3
Party4:ABOP
Leader4:Ronnie Brunswijk
Last Election4:5
Current Seats4:8
Party5:PL
Leader5:Paul Somohardjo
Last Election5:5
Current Seats5:2
Party6:Brotherhood and Unity in Politics
Last Election6:2
Current Seats6:2
President
Before Election:Chan Santokhi
Before Party:Progressive Reform Party (Suriname)

General elections are set to be held in Suriname on 25 May 2025. This was made public by president Chan Santokhi in his annual speech at the National Assembly on 1 October 2024.[1]

After his resignation in mid October 2024 as minister of Internal Affairs, Bronto Somohardjo was succceeded one and a half month later by Delano Landvreugd as minister and Maurits Hassankhan as deputy minister. Hassankhan will have the responsibility of organizing the elections of 2025.[2]

Electoral system

The 51 seats in the National Assembly are elected using party-list proportional representation. Previous general elections had been held using ten multi-member constituencies, but following a ruling by the Constitutional Court in 2022 that judged that it was unconstitutional, the constituencies were abolished and all 51 seats will be elected from a single nationwide constituency. This case was started by Serena Essed.[3] The Assembly approved the new electoral system on 13 October 2023.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Suriname Herald, President Santokhi houdt laatste jaarrede, maakt datum verkiezingen bekend, 1 October 2024
  2. Suriname Herald, Kogel door de kerk: Delano Landvreugd wordt nieuwe Biza-minister, 29 November 2024
  3. Starnieuws, Huidige zetelverdeling districten is van de baan, 5 August 2022
  4. Starnieuws, Kiesstelstel gewijzigd; verkiezingen zijn weer mogelijk, 13 October 2023