Editing Politics of Saint Kitts and Nevis

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{{Politics of Saint Kitts and Nevis}}

The '''politics of Saint Kitts and Nevis''' takes place in the framework of a [[federation|federal]] [[parliamentary democracy]]. [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]] is an independent [[Commonwealth realm]] with [[Charles III]] as its [[head of state]], viceregally represented by a [[Governor-General of Saint Kitts and Nevis|Governor-General]]. He acts on the advice of the [[prime minister]], who is the majority party leader in the [[National Assembly of Saint Kitts and Nevis|National Assembly]], and who, with a cabinet, conducts affairs of state.

==General aspects==

St Kitts and Nevis has a single [[National Assembly of Saint Kitts and Nevis|National Assembly]] responsible for making laws, and comprising 14 or 15 members depending upon circumstances.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/Kitts/kitts83.html|title=1983 Saint Kitts and Nevis Constitution|website=pdba.georgetown.edu}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sknvibes.com/Government/Parliament.cfm |access-date=April 3, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060614141319/http://sknvibes.com/Government/Parliament.cfm |archive-date=June 14, 2006 |title=SKNVibes &#124; One Caribbean Community }}</ref> 11 of these are directly elected ''representatives'' whilst three are ''senators'' appointed by the [[governor-general]] (two on the advice of the [[prime minister]] and the third on the advice of the [[Leader of the Opposition (Saint Kitts and Nevis)|leader of the opposition]]). If the [[attorney general]] isn't appointed as a senator then he automatically gets a seat as one, increasing the number of senators to four. Of the 11 elected members, eight represent constituencies in [[St Kitts]] and the remaining three represent [[Nevis]] seats.

The prime minister in this system is appointed by the governor-general from among the representatives, with the constitutional duty of selecting someone likely to command the support of the majority of representatives. Typically, this means the leader of the majority party or coalition. If no suitable candidate is identified, the governor-general has the authority to dissolve the assembly, triggering a [[general election]]. Other ministers are also appointed by the governor-general, based on the advice of the prime minister. The prime minister can be removed from office either by the assembly or by the governor-general if the prime minister loses the support of the majority of representatives. The assembly is elected every five years unless the governor-general dissolves it earlier, which can be done on the advice of the prime minister.

St Kitts and Nevis has enjoyed a long history of free and fair elections, although the outcome of elections in 1993 was strongly protested by the opposition and the [[Regional Security System]] (RSS) was briefly deployed to restore order. The elections in 1995 were contested by the two major parties, the ruling [[People's Action Movement]] (PAM) and the [[St Kitts and Nevis Labour Party]]. Labour won seven of the 11 seats, with Dr [[Denzil Douglas]] becoming prime minister. In the March 2000 elections, Denzil Douglas and the Labour Party were returned to power, winning eight of the 11 seats in the House. The Nevis-based [[Concerned Citizens Movement]] (CCM) won two seats and the [[Nevis Reformation Party]] (NRP) won one seat. The PAM party was unable to obtain a seat.

The [[2015 Saint Kitts and Nevis general election]] was won by [[Timothy Harris]] and his recently formed [[People's Labour Party (Saint Kitts and Nevis)|People's Labour Party]], with backing from the PAM and the Nevis-based [[Concerned Citizens' Movement]] under the '[[Team Unity (Saint Kitts and Nevis)|Team Unity]]' banner.<ref name=CE>[http://www.caribbeanelections.com/blog/?p=4598#more-4598 Team Unity wins St Kitts and Nevis 2015 general election] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923200627/http://www.caribbeanelections.com/blog/?p=4598 |date=23 September 2015 }} Caribbean Elections, 17 February 2015</ref> 
In June 2020, Team Unity coalition of the incumbent government, led by Prime Minister Timothy Harris, won general [[2020 Saint Kitts and Nevis general election|elections]] by defeating St Kitts and Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reporter |first1=WIC News |title=Election 2020 - Landslide victory for Team Unity in St Kitts and Nevis |url=https://wicnews.com/caribbean/live-results-update-st-kitts-and-nevis-general-elections-161128229/ |work=WIC News |date=6 June 2020}}</ref> In the [[2022 Saint Kitts and Nevis general election|general election]] on 5 August 2022, [[Terrance Drew]] was elected as the fourth and current prime minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis after his St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) won snap general election.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Salmon |first1=Santana |title=St. Kitts Nevis new PM sworn into office |url=https://www.caribbeannationalweekly.com/uncategorized/st-kitts-nevis-new-pm-sworn-into-office/ |work=CNW Network |date=8 August 2022}}</ref>


Under the constitution, Nevis has considerable autonomy and has an [[Nevis Island Assembly|island assembly]], a [[Premier of Nevis|premier]], and a deputy governor-general. Under certain specified conditions, it may secede from the federation. In accordance with its rights under the [[Constitution]], in 1996 the Nevis Island Administration under the Concerned Citizens'  Movement (CCM) of Premier [[Vance Amory]] initiated steps towards secession from the Federation, the most recent being a [[Nevis independence referendum, 1998|referendum in 1998]] that failed to secure the required two-thirds majority for secession. The March 2000 election results placed Vance Armory, as head of the CCM, the leader of the country's opposition party. In the September 7, 2001 elections in Nevis for the [[Nevis Island Administration]], the CCM won four of the five seats available, while the NRP won one. In 2003, the Nevis Island Administration again proposed secession and initiated formal constitutional procedures to hold a referendum on the issue, which was held in early 2004. While opposing secession, the Government acknowledged the constitutional rights of Nevisians to determine their future independence. Constitutional safeguards include freedom of speech, press, worship, movement, and association. The most recent elections in Nevis took place on July 10, 2006. Amory's CCM was defeated by the NRP of [[Joseph Parry (politician)|Joseph Parry]], winning only two out of the five elective seats. Parry was sworn in as the third Premier of Nevis a day later.

Its judicial system is modelled on British practice and procedure and its jurisprudence on English [[common law]]. The Royal St Kitts and Nevis Police Force has about 370 members.

==Executive branch==
{{See also| Drew ministry (Saint Kitts and Nevis)}}
As head of state, [[Charles III|King Charles III]] is vice-regally represented by a Governor-General who acts on the advice of the prime minister. Following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor-general. All other ministerial appointments, including that of [[Deputy Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis|deputy prime minister]], are made by the governor-general, but acting upon the advice of the prime minister.

{{multiple image
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Main office-holders
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 | image1            = King Charles III (July 2023).jpg
 | width1            = 
 | caption1          = The [[Monarchy of Saint Kitts and Nevis|King of Saint Kitts and Nevis]]:<br />'''[[Charles III]]'''<br />since<br />{{nowrap|8 September 2022}}

 | image2            = Marcella Liburd 2023.jpg
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 | caption2          = The [[Governor-General of Saint Kitts and Nevis]]:<br />'''[[Marcella Liburd|Dame Marcella Liburd]]'''<br />since<br />{{nowrap|1 February 2023}}

 | image3            = Terrance Drew 2022.jpg
 | width3            = 
 | caption3          = The [[Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis]]:<br />'''[[Terrance Drew]]'''<br />since<br />{{nowrap|6 August 2022}}
| image4            = Secretary Pompeo Meets with Saint Kitts and Nevis Foreign Affairs Minister Brantley (49430297112) (cropped).jpg
 | width4            = 
 | caption4          = The [[Premier of Nevis]]:<br />'''[[Mark Brantley]]'''<br />since<br />{{nowrap|18 December 2017}}

 }}

==Political parties and elections==
{{elect|List of political parties in Saint Kitts and Nevis|Elections in Saint Kitts and Nevis|}}

==Judicial branch==

[[Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court]] (based on [[Saint Lucia]]); one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts.

The [[Judicial Committee of the Privy Council]] in London is the highest appellate court.

==Administrative divisions==

The country is divided in [[Parishes of Saint Kitts and Nevis|14 parishes]]: Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James Windward, Saint John Capisterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capisterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island, Trinity Palmetto Point.

==International organisation participation==

[[ACP (Lomé Convention)|ACP]], [[Caribbean Community|Caricom]], [[Caribbean Development Bank|CDB]], [[Commonwealth of Nations]] [[United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean|ECLAC]], [[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]], [[Group of 77|G-77]], [[International Bank for Reconstruction and Development|IBRD]], [[International Confederation of Free Trade Unions|ICFTU]], [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|ICRM]], [[International Development Association|IDA]], [[International Fund for Agricultural Development|IFAD]], [[International Finance Corporation|IFC]], [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|IFRCS]], [[International Labour Organization|ILO]], [[International Monetary Fund|IMF]], [[Interpol (organization)|Interpol]], [[IOC]], [[Non Aligned Movement|NAM]] [[Organization of American States|OAS]], [[Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States|OECS]], [[OPANAL]], [[Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons|OPCW]], [[United Nations|UN]], [[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development|UNCTAD]], [[UNESCO]], [[United Nations Industrial Development Organization|UNIDO]], [[Universal Postal Union|UPU]], [[World Confederation of Labour|WCL]], [[World Health Organization|WHO]], [[World Intellectual Property Organization|WIPO]], [[World Trade Organization|WTrO]]

==External links==
*[http://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/Kitts/kitts83.html Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis Constitutional Order of 1983]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Saint Kitts and Nevis elections}}
{{Nevis elections}}
{{Americas topic|Politics of}}

[[Category:Politics of Saint Kitts and Nevis| ]]