ORANJESTAD – Curaçao parliamentarian David Seferina has called for stronger strategic coordination within the Kingdom of the Netherlands in response to growing geopolitical instability, demographic pressures, and rising youth crime. He made the remarks during his opening address at the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultation (IPKO) in Aruba on February 18, 2026 .
Speaking as chair of the MFK parliamentary faction and head of the Curaçao Parliament’s committee responsible for Kingdom affairs and interparliamentary relations, Seferina said the consultation was taking place in a period marked by rapid and unpredictable international developments. He stressed that geopolitical shifts now affect not only small Caribbean countries but also the European part of the Kingdom.
Seferina devoted significant attention to the regional security situation, pointing to recent U.S. military actions in and around Venezuela, including the removal and detention of President Nicolás Maduro. Regardless of political views on the government in Caracas, he said, these actions have created a new geopolitical reality with direct consequences for the Caribbean region.
According to Seferina, Curaçao’s geographic proximity to these developments, combined with the fact that defense and foreign affairs are Kingdom responsibilities managed from Europe, requires careful coordination and clear communication within the Kingdom. He argued that autonomous countries must be fully involved at the highest political level in decision-making processes related to regional security, information sharing, and strategic planning.
Beyond geopolitics, Seferina highlighted two domestic challenges that he said have direct implications for national security and socioeconomic stability. The first is population aging. He noted that Curaçao is undergoing a major demographic transition, with roughly half of the population aged 50 and older and nearly a quarter having reached retirement age. This trend is placing increasing pressure on the AOV pension system, healthcare financing, and other collective services.
At the same time, Seferina said, economic growth and labor market expansion are not keeping pace with demographic change. He pointed to continued emigration of young people to the Netherlands for education, with relatively few returning, and to housing market constraints that further discourage return migration. Aging, he stressed, is no longer a temporary challenge but a structural one that requires fundamental choices about sustainable financing and the organization of social security and healthcare. He called for this discussion to be held not only at the national level but also within the Kingdom framework, allowing for shared knowledge and solutions.
The third issue raised was the rise and increasing severity of youth crime. Seferina described youth criminality as a symptom of deeper structural problems, including school dropout, poverty, and long-standing underinvestment in vulnerable neighborhoods. He warned that repression alone is insufficient and argued for an integrated approach focused on strengthening the social infrastructure of society.
Investments in education, safe neighborhoods, sports facilities, and community centers are not optional, he said, but essential for long-term security and social cohesion. Seferina linked youth crime directly to nation building, warning that a society that loses its youth to emigration and criminality undermines its own future and increases pressure on social systems.
He concluded by stating that these three dossiers—geopolitical security, aging, and youth crime—will shape the strategic space in which the Kingdom must operate in the coming years. According to Seferina, IPKO provides the appropriate platform not only to identify these challenges but also to work toward joint solutions in the interest of a well-functioning Kingdom.