Editing Martinique (section)

=== Institutional and statutory evolution of the island ===
During the 2000s, the political debate in Martinique focused on the question of the evolution of the island's status.<ref name="CC France-2021">{{cite web|title=Les collectivités territoriales régies par l'article 73 {{!}} Conseil constitutionnel|url=https://www.conseil-constitutionnel.fr/nouveaux-cahiers-du-conseil-constitutionnel/les-collectivites-territoriales-regies-par-l-article-73|access-date=3 August 2021|website=www.conseil-constitutionnel.fr|language=fr|archive-date=3 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803060916/https://www.conseil-constitutionnel.fr/nouveaux-cahiers-du-conseil-constitutionnel/les-collectivites-territoriales-regies-par-l-article-73|url-status=live}}</ref> Two political ideologies, [[Cultural assimilation|assimilationism]] and [[autonomism]], clashed. On the one hand, there are those who want a change of status based on Article 73 of the French Constitution, i.e., that all French laws apply in Martinique as of right, which in law is called legislative identity, and on the other hand, the autonomists who want a change of status based on Article 74 of the French Constitution, i.e., an autonomous status subject to the regime of legislative specialty following the example of [[Collectivity of Saint Martin|St. Martin]] and [[Saint Barthélemy|St. Barthelemy]].

Since the constitutional revision of 28 March 2003, Martinique has four options:
* First possibility: the status quo,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=William |first=Jean-Claude |date=15 December 2007 |title=Du brouillage. Droite et gauche en Martinique. Quelle réalité ? |url=http://journals.openedition.org/plc/173 |journal=Pouvoirs dans la Caraïbe. Revue du CRPLC |language=fr |issue=15 |pages=121–149 |doi=10.4000/plc.173 |issn=1279-8657 |doi-access=free |access-date=3 August 2021 |archive-date=2 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180602081506/https://journals.openedition.org/plc/173 |url-status=live }}</ref> Martinique retains its status as an Overseas Department and Region, under Article 73 of the Constitution. The DROMs are under the regime of legislative identity. In this framework, the laws and regulations are applicable as of right, with the adaptations required by the particular characteristics and constraints of the communities concerned.
* [[File:Old City Hall - panoramio (12).jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Old City Hall, Fort-de-France]]Second possibility: if the local stakeholders, and first and foremost the elected representatives, agree, they can, within the framework of Article 73 of the Constitution,<ref name="AN France-2020">{{cite web |title=Assemblée nationale – Outre-mer : mesures organiques relatives aux collectivités régies par l'article 73 de la Constitution |url=https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/13/dossiers/collectivites_article73_constitution.asp |access-date=3 August 2021 |website=www.assemblee-nationale.fr |archive-date=23 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623004731/http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/13/dossiers/collectivites_article73_constitution.asp |url-status=live }}</ref> propose an institutional evolution such as the creation of a single assembly (merger of the general council and the regional council). However, the department and the region will remain. The government may propose to the President of the Republic to consult the voters on this issue. In case of a negative answer, nothing will be possible. In case of positive response, the final decision will be taken by the Parliament, which will finally decide whether the reform is carried out by passing an ordinary law.<ref name="Senate France-2011">{{cite web |title=Guyane et Martinique – Sénat |url=https://www.senat.fr/dossier-legislatif/pjl10-265.html |access-date=3 August 2021 |website=www.senat.fr |date=26 January 2011 |archive-date=3 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803060916/https://www.senat.fr/dossier-legislatif/pjl10-265.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Third possibility: those elected may propose the creation of a new [[Territorial collectivity|collectivity]] within the framework of Article 73 of the French Constitution.<ref name="Outre Mer-2010" /> This new community will replace the department and the region. It will bring together the competences currently attributed to the General Council and the Regional Council. This community governed by Article 73 is subject to the regime of legislative identity and is therefore not autonomous. It will have as institutions an executive council, a deliberative assembly and an economic and social council.<ref name="La Depeche-2014" />
* Fourth possibility: if a consensus is reached, the elected representatives may propose to the government a change of status, i.e., the transformation of Martinique into an overseas collectivity (COM).<ref>{{cite journal|title=Guyane et Martinique : enjeux et défis de la collectivité unique|date=2014 |doi=10.3917/inso.186.0098 |url=https://www.cairn.info/revue-informations-sociales-2014-6-page-98.htm|url-status=live|access-date=3 August 2021|archive-date=3 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803060914/https://www.cairn.info/revue-informations-sociales-2014-6-page-98.htm |last1=Daniel |first1=Justin |journal=Informations Sociales |volume=186 |issue=6 |pages=98–107 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> Indeed, since the constitutional revision of 28 March 2003, the overseas departments may, under Article 74, become an overseas collectivity (COM) like St. Martin and St. Barthélemy.

Unlike the [[Overseas France|overseas departments]], the overseas collectivities are subject to legislative specialization.<ref name="CC France-2021" /> The laws and decrees of the Republic apply to them under certain conditions established by the organic law defining their status. The overseas departments have a greater degree of autonomy than the DOMs. They have an executive council, a territorial council and an economic and social council. The prefect is the representative of the French State in the overseas collectivity.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}
[[File:Salines Beach.jpg|thumb|upright=1.45|Salines Beach, St Anne peninsula]]
However, the [[Constitution of France|French Constitution]] specifies in Article 72-4<ref name="CC France-2021" /> that "no change may be made, for all or part of one of the communities mentioned in the second paragraph of Article 72-3, from one of the regimes provided for in Articles 73 and 74, without the prior consent of the electors of the community or part of the community concerned having been obtained, under the conditions provided for in the following paragraph.<ref name="CC France-2021" />

In 2003, a new organization is envisaged, in which the regional and departmental institutions would be merged into a single institution. This proposal was rejected in Martinique (but also in [[Guadeloupe]]) by 50.48% in a referendum held on 7 December 2003.<ref>{{cite web|title=Martinique, Référendum 2003, France. MJP, univesité de Perpignan|url=https://mjp.univ-perp.fr/france/reft2003martinique.htm|url-status=live|access-date=29 July 2021|archive-date=10 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210710170907/https://mjp.univ-perp.fr/france/reft2003martinique.htm}}</ref>

On 10 January 2010, a consultation of the population was held. Voters were asked to vote in a [[2010 Martiniquean status referendum|referendum]] on a possible change in the status of their territory. The ballot proposed voters to "approve or reject the transition to the regime provided for in Article 74 of the Constitution". The majority of voters, 79.3%, said "no".<ref name="La Depeche-2014">{{cite web |title=Guyane et Martinique se prononcent sur une collectivité unique |url=https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2010/01/23/761793-guyane-et-martinique-se-prononcent-sur-une-collectivite-unique.html |access-date=29 July 2021 |website=ladepeche.fr |language=fr |archive-date=29 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429050057/http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2010/01/23/761793-guyane-et-martinique-se-prononcent-sur-une-collectivite-unique.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The following 24 January, in a second referendum, 68.4% of the population of Martinique approved the transition to a "single collectivity" under Article 73 of the Constitution, i.e., a single assembly that would exercise the powers of the General Council and the Regional Council.<ref name="Outre Mer-2010">{{cite web|title=Le référendum a recueilli 68,3 % de réponses positives parmi les suffrages exprimés en Martinique pour un taux de participation de 35,81 % (Résultats de la consultation du 25 janvier 2010 en Guyane et en Martinique|url=http://www.outre-mer.gouv.fr/?resultats-de-la-consultation-du-25-janvier-2010-en-guyane-et-en.html|url-status=live|access-date=29 July 2021|archive-date=10 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110002748/http://www.outre-mer.gouv.fr/?resultats-de-la-consultation-du-25-janvier-2010-en-guyane-et-en.html}}</ref>