WILLEMSTAD – The Curaçao Parliament has stressed that cooperation within the Kingdom of the Netherlands must not come at the expense of the island’s autonomy. This position is set out in a decision adopted on Friday, following an advisory opinion by the Council of State on the future of the Kingdom Charter.
According to the Staten van Curaçao, cooperation within the Kingdom should remain based on voluntariness, equality, and mutual respect. Increased involvement by the Kingdom or by the Netherlands, the Parliament argues, must not lead to steering, control, or centralization of authority.
The decision follows an advisory report by the Raad van State issued in the context of 70 years of the Kingdom Charter. While the Curaçao Parliament acknowledges the importance of cooperation among the Kingdom’s countries, it states that such cooperation can only be sustainable if autonomy is respected and not gradually eroded.
The Parliament explicitly opposes agreements or measures that could result in a shift of power within the Kingdom. Cooperation, it argues, should primarily take place through mutual arrangements between countries, rather than through imposed consensus Kingdom acts, unless compelling interests clearly justify such measures.
In addition, the Parliament calls for a better balance in Kingdom decision-making. It suggests that the role of the Minister Plenipotentiary could be strengthened to improve Curaçao’s representation, while emphasizing that this must not lead to any restriction of the island’s autonomy.
The Parliament also reiterates its call for an independent dispute resolution mechanism within the Kingdom. Such a system would allow conflicts between countries to be settled in a legally binding manner, preventing situations in which one party ultimately decides on disputes in which it has a direct interest.
Furthermore, the Curaçao Parliament states that equality in areas such as human rights, good governance, and economic development must be tangible for citizens in all parts of the Kingdom. Support for Curaçao, it argues, should be based on solidarity and shared responsibility, rather than on conditions that increase dependency.
The decision was adopted during a public session of Parliament on February 13, 2026, and constitutes the official response of the Curaçao Parliament to the advisory opinion on the future of cooperation within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.