The Curaçao general election of 2012 was held on 19 October 2012.  Early elections for the Curaçao island council were necessary as the Cabinet-Schotte lost its majority in the Estates of Curaçao. The elections were the first of the Curaçao after obtaining the status of country (Dutch: land) within the Kingdom of the Netherlands upon the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles in 2010. The election saw six parties obtain one or more of the 21 seats, with Sovereign People and Movement for the Future of Curaçao both winning five.

The Schotte-cabinet relied on a majority of 11 out of 21 seats in the Estates (the parties Movementu Futuro Korsou (MFK), Pueblo Soberano (PS) and Movishon Antia Nobo (MAN)). When Eugene Cleopa (MAN) and MFK parliamentary leader Dean Rozier decided to leave their fraction, and to stay in the Estates as an individual party, the Cabinet lost its majority. The move of Cleopa and Rozier was a result of problematic relationship with the Netherlands and charges of corruption and nepotism of the Scholte government.

The elections were supervised by observers from Aruba, Sint Maarten, Trinidad and Tobago and the Dominican Republic.

Electoral System

The 21 members of the Estates are elected by proportional representation. Parties that won seats in the previous elections are allowed to participate, whilst primary elections are held to determine which other parties can run, with parties required to receive the equivalent of 1% of the vote at the previous elections in order to participate.

Political Parties

Eight Parties participated in the elections: Pueblo Soberano (PS), Partido Democraat (DP), Partido Alternativa Real (PAR), Partido MAN, Partido Nashonal di Pueblo (PNP), Frente Obrero Liberashon 30 di mei (FOL), Movementu Futuro Kòrsou (MFK) and Partido pa Adelanto i Inovashon Soshal (PAIS). The lists of these parties were approved by the Hoofdkiesraad.(English: main election council).

Results

Based on these results, PS, MFK and MAN (the 2010 coalition parties) had a majority in the estates, and decided to form a government. The parties signed a declaration to that effect (termed the Zeelandia declaration), while acting governor Adele van der Pluijm-Vrede appointed Glenn Camelia as "informateur" to advise her on a suitable majority government. MFK pulled out of negotiations on 28 October, stating unfavorable comments of PS-leader Wiels on radio as the cause. A majority was formed based on PS, PAIS, PNP and Glenn Sulvaran (who had left PAR to become an independent member of parliament), which formed an interim cabinet led by Daniel Hodge.

The interim cabinet was succeeded by the cabinet-Asjes on 7 June 2013.

Voter Turnout

Voter turnout was 74.82%.