Recently, Drs. Gracita R. Arrindell, Minister Plenipotentiary of Sint Maarten, met with Professor Dr. Wouter Veenendaal for an open and thoughtful conversation on Kingdom Relations.
Appointed in May 2024 as Professor of Kingdom Relations, Professor Veenendaal conducts research into democratic representation and governance within the Kingdom. During the meeting, the discussion touched on several key questions central to his research, including how the different countries within the Kingdom position themselves, the notion of a democratic deficit, and the question of whether the four countries are experienced as truly equal partners.
The conversation also explored the meaning of autonomy in practice and the observation that many people in the Netherlands remain unfamiliar with Kingdom affairs. From Sint Maarten’s perspective, practical experiences and day-to-day realities of Kingdom cooperation played an important role in the exchange.
The meeting offered valuable space for reflection on how the Kingdom functions in practice and highlighted the importance of dialogue between academia and policymakers in strengthening mutual understanding and cooperation.
