The outgoing Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament has agreed not to declare the draft laws related to the dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles and obtaining country status for Curaçao and St. Maarten controversial. This means that – despite the fall of the Balkenende Cabinet – they can be handled starting early to mid-April, opening the door to the establishment of new relations within the Kingdom, with 10-10-10 still the target date.

While it is customary to respect the will of a "substantial minority" in such cases, the majority chose not do so with the request of Freedom Party PVV and the Socialist Party (SP) to declare the entire package controversial, as the majority believed commitments had been made to the islands that needed to be honoured. The liberal VVD had opposed handling only the Regulation to appoint Governors for Curaçao and St. Maarten, the Kingdom Consensus Laws on the police and on the Prosecution, along with amendments to the Kingdom Charter formalising the constitutional reforms.

Antillean Prime Minister Emily de Jongh-Elhage seemed very relieved on TeleCuraçao last night, but also knows that not only do the Consensus Laws and Kingdom Charter amendment still have to be actually passed in the Dutch Parliament, there are still more laws that require approval, also from the First Chamber.

Considering some of the specific comments directed at St. Maarten during the meeting, it is clear that much convincing remains to be done to achieve country status, but there is now at least the prospect that the legal framework can be in place soon. As such, preparations are expected to continue, including the transfer of Central Government tasks to the Island Territories that are to become countries, along with the necessary budgets and personnel.

It also means that elections for the expanded Island Council that is to become Country St. Maarten's first Parliament are likely to be held in three months, with Curaçao already indicating it will go to the polls on Friday, June 11. The election has an added twist there, because the PAR/PNP/FOL coalition does not have the two-thirds majority in the current Island Council needed to pass Country Curaçao's draft Constitution.

The latter means that the Island Council will have to be dissolved and a new one elected that can then pass the Constitution with a simple majority. Therefore, the handling of the draft almost certainly will be timed in such a way by the Executive Council that the subsequent dissolving of the current Island Council will lead automatically into the June elections.