Editing Saint Martin (island) (section)

==Politics==
{{See also|Unification of Saint Martin}}
There currently is a movement [[Unification of Saint Martin|aiming to unite the Dutch and French halves]] of the island of Saint Martin.<ref name=":0"/> A "[[:File:Unity Flag St Martin.svg|Unity Flag]]" for representing this unification was created in 1990.<ref name="House of Nehesi Publishers"/>

Currently, the island is divided into [[Sint Maarten]] (the southern half of the island, part of the [[Kingdom of the Netherlands|Netherlands]]) and the [[Collectivity of Saint Martin]] (the northern half of the island, part of France). The island has been divided since the signing of the [[Treaty of Concordia]] in 1648, which today remains as one of the oldest treaties still in effect. Unification of the island enjoys support 

from the population of both halves.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |url=http://houseofnehesipublish.com/sxm/2004/12/25/the-reunification-of-st-martin-a-pipe-dream-or-an-inevitable-choice-by-fabian-adekunle-badejo/ |title=The reunification of St. Martin: A pipe dream or an inevitable choice? |first=Fabian Adekunle |last=Badejo |publisher=House of Nehesi Publishers |date=25 December 2004 |access-date=8 October 2021 |archive-date=8 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008190755/http://houseofnehesipublish.com/sxm/2004/12/25/the-reunification-of-st-martin-a-pipe-dream-or-an-inevitable-choice-by-fabian-adekunle-badejo/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://blog-iacl-aidc.org/constitutionalism-and-pluralism-in-overseas-france/2020/11/12/one-island-two-nations-and-a-european-union-st-martin |title=One island, two nations and a European Union: St. Martin |first1=Gerhard |last1=Hoogers |first2=Gohar |last2=Karapetian |newspaper=IACL-AIDC Blog |date=12 November 2020 |access-date=18 January 2022 |archive-date=6 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906092300/https://blog-iacl-aidc.org/constitutionalism-and-pluralism-in-overseas-france/2020/11/12/one-island-two-nations-and-a-european-union-st-martin |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Treaty of Concordia allows [[freedom of movement]] between both parts of the island, which has promoted a common sentiment among the island's inhabitants, although this is also the reason why some see a formal unification as unnecessary. Other arguments against unification of the island are that neither France nor the Netherlands would allow it and that both sides would require full independence to achieve it.<ref name=":0" />

On 31 August 1990, the "Unity Flag" of Saint Martin was adopted at the Preliminary Conference on National Symbols at the Philipsburg Jubilee Library, in Sint Maarten. This flag was created to represent the people of both halves of the island and the unification of the latter, and is hoisted today on some houses and sometimes by churches and religious groups in Saint Martin.<ref name="House of Nehesi Publishers"/> In August 2020, when restrictions and controls were added to the [[Saint Martin–Sint Maarten border]] to contain the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], some protesters against these measures flew this flag with them.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://caribbeannetwork.ntr.nl/2020/08/09/protest-at-saint-martin-border-you-are-basically-blocking-us-from-living/ |title=Protest at Saint Martin border: "you are basically blocking us from living" |first=Jenny |last=Steel |newspaper=Caribbean Network |date=9 August 2020 |access-date=18 January 2022 |archive-date=28 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028051002/https://caribbeannetwork.ntr.nl/2020/08/09/protest-at-saint-martin-border-you-are-basically-blocking-us-from-living/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In September 2020, these restrictions were lifted, and people from both sides of the island started chanting "One island, one people, one destiny".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.sxminfo.fr/126742/16/09/2020/frontiere-lunification-qui-fait-la-force-pas-que-une-victoire-mais-il-reste-la-crise-sanitaire-a-gerer/ |title=Frontière: L'unification qui fait la force? Pas que... Une victoire mais il reste la "crise" sanitaire à gérer |first=Florent |last=Letuvée |newspaper=sxminfo.fr |date=16 September 2020 |language=fr |access-date=18 January 2022 |archive-date=16 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216074823/https://www.sxminfo.fr/126742/16/09/2020/frontiere-lunification-qui-fait-la-force-pas-que-une-victoire-mais-il-reste-la-crise-sanitaire-a-gerer/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
Some notable supporters of this movement include Albert Fleming, former leader of the Collectivity of Saint Martin, who in 2014 stated his support for the unification of the island.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://smn-news.com/st-maarten-st-martin-news/16223-former-mayor-albert-fleming-calls-for-unification-of-st-martin-north-and-south-with-the-support-of-up-party-candidate-5-josianne-artsen.html |title=Former mayor Albert Fleming calls for unification of St. Martin north and south with the support of UP party candidate #5 Josianne Artsen |newspaper=Saint Martin News Network |date=1 August 2014 |access-date=18 January 2022 |archive-date=6 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906092402/https://smn-news.com/st-maarten-st-martin-news/16223-former-mayor-albert-fleming-calls-for-unification-of-st-martin-north-and-south-with-the-support-of-up-party-candidate-5-josianne-artsen.html |url-status=live }}</ref>