DEN HAAG – The President of the Curaçao Parliament, Fergino Brownbill, has called for concrete follow-up on previously made agreements within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, particularly regarding the establishment of an expert group to examine the democratic deficit within the Kingdom.
Brownbill delivered his remarks on September 26, 2025, during the opening of the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultation (IPKO) in The Hague. Speaking on behalf of the Curaçao delegation, he thanked the Parliament of Aruba for the organization of the meeting and emphasized that IPKO should be more than an exchange of views.
According to Brownbill, the consultation should also serve as a moment of reflection on whether earlier agreements have translated into tangible progress. He referred specifically to the decision, taken jointly in September 2025, to establish an independent expert group tasked with examining democratic shortcomings within the Kingdom’s governance structure.
While that agreement called for the expert group to begin its work promptly, Brownbill noted that time has passed without sufficient clarity or action. He said Curaçao considers the current IPKO the appropriate moment to move forward by defining the group’s mandate, composition, working methods, and timeline. The expert group, he stressed, is not an end in itself but a tool to contribute—through expertise and independence—to a more balanced and future-proof democratic framework within the Kingdom.
Brownbill placed the issue within a broader constitutional context, questioning how cooperation within the Kingdom can be ensured not only to be formally correct, but also democratically legitimate and recognizably fair to all countries involved. He emphasized that equality should not remain an abstract concept, but must be visible in decision-making processes, consultation mechanisms, and the way countries are involved in policies that affect them collectively.
The Curaçao Parliament President also pointed to the rapidly changing global environment, marked by geopolitical tensions, economic shifts, and regional developments that directly impact the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom. In that context, he argued that timely consultation is essential, noting that the Kingdom requires ongoing maintenance through adherence to agreements and the translation of words into action.
Brownbill concluded by urging that this IPKO deliver not only dialogue, but also concrete outcomes, particularly regarding the long-discussed expert group on democratic legitimacy. Curaçao, he said, is participating in the consultation in a spirit of partnership and dialogue, while remaining focused on achieving measurable results.
The IPKO brings together parliamentary delegations from Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and the Netherlands and is regarded as the most important parliamentary consultation forum within the Kingdom.