The president of the Republic of Suriname ( nl, President van de Republiek Suriname) is, in accordance with the Constitution of 1987, the
head of state
A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and ...
and
head of government
The head of government is the highest or the second-highest official in the executive branch of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, or other government who often presides over a cabinet, a ...
of
Suriname
Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the nor ...
, and
commander-in-chief of the
Suriname National Army (SNL). The president also appoints a
cabinet
Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to:
Furniture
* Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers
* Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets
* Filin ...
.
The current president is
Chan Santokhi, a former chief of police. He is affiliated with the
Progressive Reform Party (VHP). Santokhi was elected on 13 July 2020 as president by acclamation in an
uncontested election, and inaugurated on 16 July on the
Onafhankelijkheidsplein
The Onafhankelijkheidsplein (, Independence Square) is a town square in Paramaribo, the capital of Suriname. The square is situated in the historical inner city, near the Suriname River and the Presidential Palace of Suriname.
Before the independ ...
in
Paramaribo
Paramaribo (; ; nicknamed Par'bo) is the capital and largest city of Suriname, located on the banks of the Suriname River in the Paramaribo District. Paramaribo has a population of roughly 241,000 people (2012 census), almost half of Suriname's po ...
in a ceremony without the public presence due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
.
History
The office of president was created upon independence from the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
in 1975. Until 1987, the role was largely ceremonial. The first officeholder was
Johan Ferrier
Johan Henri Eliza Ferrier (12 May 1910 – 4 January 2010) was a Surinamese politician who served as the 1st president of Suriname from 1975 to 1980. He was also the country's last governor-general before independence, serving from 1968 to 19 ...
, a schoolteacher and veteran politician who had served as
governor since 1968. He resigned as president in August 1980, several months after a
coup d'état. From then until 1988, the presidents were essentially army-installed puppets of Lt. Col. Bouterse, who ruled as a dictator with few practical checks on his power. Democracy was restored in 1988, the year after the adoption of the constitution, in which the duties and responsibilities of the president were included. On 24 December 1990, two days after Bouterse's resignation as army commander, the army called president Ramsewak Shankar to inform him that he and his cabinet were removed from office. Police Chief and Acting Commander of the Army Ivan Graanoogst was appointed acting president. On 27 December 1990, Johannes Kraag became the president. Since 1991, the president is elected democratically.
Election
The president and a vice president are elected by no less than a two-thirds
supermajority of members in the
National Assembly
In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the r ...
to a five-year mandate and are accountable to the Assembly. During their time in office, the president must forfeit any additional posts in politics or business.
Qualification
A candidate must be a Surinamese national (resident in the country for at least six years) who is at least 30 years of age. A candidate must win at least two-thirds of the votes in the Assembly to be elected. If no candidate wins two-thirds after three rounds, the vote then goes to the United People's Congress, composed of the Assembly and local government officials. In this case, a simple majority is required.
Powers and duties
The president is vested with extensive functional powers. The president names and dismisses ministers, signs bills, and names and dismisses diplomatic staff. He declares war and states of emergency with the ratification of the National Assembly. He concludes foreign treaties and agreements, again with the assent of the Assembly. He also exercises ceremonial duties such as conferring awards, receiving foreign diplomats, and granting pardons.
List of presidents
;Political parties
Timeline
See also
*
Politics of Suriname
*
First Lady of Suriname
*
List of colonial governors of Suriname
*
Vice President of Suriname
The vice president of Suriname ( nl, Vicepresident van de Republiek Suriname) is the second-highest political position in Suriname, after the President of Suriname, president. The president and the vice president are elected by the National Asse ...
*
List of prime ministers of Suriname
*
List of deputy prime ministers of Suriname
The Deputy Prime Minister of Suriname () was a title given to a member of the Cabinet of Ministers of Suriname between 1954 and 1988, often to recognize members of other parties in the ruling coalition. The deputy prime minister served as actin ...
Notes
References
External links
*
Kabinet van de President van de Republiek Suriname*
{{DEFAULTSORT:President of Suriname
Suriname
Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the nor ...
Presidents
1975 establishments in Suriname