Definitive victory as AVP party wins 12 seats in Parliament-Mike Eman will be the new Prime Minister
Elections 2009: The people have spoken, Aruba goes green!
Elections 2009: The people have spoken, Aruba goes green!
Aruba went to the polls on Friday, September 25, and at approximately 1:00 AM on Saturday morning the results were clear, the Christian Democrat AVP party had an unexpected but clear majority, taking full control of Parliament by winning twelve seats out of twenty-one.
Considering the 2009 electoral ballot offered eight parties and 167 candidates, the fact that AVP, whose name originates from their Arubaanse Volkspartij label, won such a landslide victory is a clear indication the Aruban voters felt it was time for change.
For the past eight years, Movimiento Electorial di Pueblo, MEP, the “yellow party” has held a clear majority in Parliament, but only garnered eight seats when the final count was in, far less than originally predicted. Among the six other independent parties, only Democracia Real, identified by the color red and led by Andin Bikker, won a seat. Monica Kock of MPA and Rudy Lampe of Red lost their places in Parliament.
Considering the 2009 electoral ballot offered eight parties and 167 candidates, the fact that AVP, whose name originates from their Arubaanse Volkspartij label, won such a landslide victory is a clear indication the Aruban voters felt it was time for change.
For the past eight years, Movimiento Electorial di Pueblo, MEP, the “yellow party” has held a clear majority in Parliament, but only garnered eight seats when the final count was in, far less than originally predicted. Among the six other independent parties, only Democracia Real, identified by the color red and led by Andin Bikker, won a seat. Monica Kock of MPA and Rudy Lampe of Red lost their places in Parliament.
The final count, to be officially confirmed by September 30, is: AVP, 26,485 votes, MEP 19,812, Democracia Real 3,140, MPA 2,443, RED 2,371, PPA 611, CURPA 138 and MSI/OLA, 125.
Aruba’s new Prime Minister arrived at AVP headquarters in Oranjestad just before final results were in to be greeted by nearly 2000 supporters. “We are going to give this country its government back,” Eman told them upon receiving word of their winning the majority of seats. Inspired by the vote of confidence in AVP, he said in his victory speech, “We decided to create the opportunity for a change, which you greatly supported.” Eman also promised that particular issues, such as the shut down of the Valero refinery and what is felt is a serious neglect of Aruba’s tourism industry, would be of the highest priority. He expressed his trust and confidence in the “capabilities of our candidates and our party’s plan; I am convinced we will make Aruba a happy island again.”
Aruba’s new Prime Minister arrived at AVP headquarters in Oranjestad just before final results were in to be greeted by nearly 2000 supporters. “We are going to give this country its government back,” Eman told them upon receiving word of their winning the majority of seats. Inspired by the vote of confidence in AVP, he said in his victory speech, “We decided to create the opportunity for a change, which you greatly supported.” Eman also promised that particular issues, such as the shut down of the Valero refinery and what is felt is a serious neglect of Aruba’s tourism industry, would be of the highest priority. He expressed his trust and confidence in the “capabilities of our candidates and our party’s plan; I am convinced we will make Aruba a happy island again.”
