Judul : Jennifer Simons Elected as First Female President of Suriname, Vows to Serve the People
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Jennifer Simons Elected as First Female President of Suriname, Vows to Serve the People
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- Suriname has recorded a new history in its political world. For the first time, the country in South America is led by a woman.
Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, opposition figure from the National Democratic Party (NDP), was officially elected as President of Suriname, replacing Chan Santokhi.
According to Reuters on Monday (7/7), Jennifer Simons was elected president in the National Assembly vote held on Sunday (6/7). She became the first woman to hold the highest position in the former Dutch colony.
The legislative election held on May 25, 2025, resulted in a tight competition between the NDP, which obtained 18 seats, and the Progressive Reform Party (PRP) led by incumbent President Chan Santokhi, which secured 17 seats.
The seven-party coalition then agreed to nominate Simons as president and Gregory Rusland from the National Party of Suriname (NPS) as vice president.
The presidential election process in Suriname is conducted indirectly, through voting in the National Assembly. A candidate must obtain two-thirds support from parliament members to be elected. Simons was unanimously approved in the session.
In his brief speech, Simons (71) committed himself to serving the entire people of Suriname. He emphasized that the country's wealth should be felt by all citizens, especially the youth and groups who have not yet had fair opportunities.
"I am fully aware of the responsibility now on our shoulders. This responsibility has become greater because I am the first woman to hold this position," she said.
President Chan Santokhi, who lost the election, congratulated Simons and stated that he will continue to serve as a member of parliament. He also stated that he is responsible for the shortcomings during his administration.
Simons will be officially inaugurated on July 16, 2025.
Suriname is predicted to experience a revenue surge from its first offshore oil and gas project led by TotalEnergies, scheduled to start production in 2028.
However, in the political campaign, there is still no clear policy direction on how this revenue will be used for the people's welfare.
Jennifer Simons previously served as the speaker of the parliament for ten years until 2020 and was the leader of the party founded by the late Desi Bouterse, a controversial figure who led the country for several decades before dying while in exile last year.
According to a report by The Guardian, Jennifer Simons actually ran without an opponent in this election, after the Progressive Reform Party led by Santokhi decided not to nominate anyone before the registration deadline.
Simons took over leadership amid contrasting economic conditions. Although Suriname is one of the poorest countries in South America, the country has offshore oil reserves estimated to generate billions of dollars in the coming decades.
During his term, President Santokhi tried to ease the economic crisis by seeking help from the IMF. However, the austerity policies he implemented instead triggered strong protests among the people.
One of Santokhi's campaign promises was the "royalty for all" scheme, which offered US$750 (equivalent to Rp 12.2 million) per resident with a 7% annual interest rate, but failed to secure majority support.
The Guardian also noted that Simons is known for being firm on environmental issues. While serving as speaker of the parliament, he strongly condemned illegal gold mining and logging practices, and advocated for strengthening forest protection regulations.
Suriname itself has more than 90% of its area covered by tropical rainforests.
Simons took over the baton from the party founded by Desi Bouterse, the former military dictator who ruled between 1980-1987. During Bouterse's rule, his regime was accused of executing 15 political opponents in 1982.
He was later elected president democratically in 2010 and 2015, before finally being replaced by Santokhi.
The election of Jennifer Simons as the first female president in Suriname marks a new era in the political history of the country, which is known to be 'close' to Indonesia.
With major challenges before them, ranging from natural resource management to social inequality, Simons' leadership will come under international scrutiny.
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