Suriname made history on Sunday as lawmakers chose Jennifer Geerlings-Simons as the nation’s first woman president, following her party’s victory in the legislative elections held in May.
At 71, Geerlings-Simons, a former opposition figure, became the only contender for the presidency after her political opponents opted on Thursday not to put forward a candidate to lead the northern South American nation.
Her National Democratic Party emerged with 18 of the 51 parliamentary seats, securing more than the centrist Progressive Reform Party led by outgoing president Chan Santokhi.
Crucially, the NDP had already cemented an alliance with five other parties, giving them a collective majority of 34 seats in the National Assembly.
Founded by former military ruler and later elected president Desi Bouterse, the NDP carries a controversial legacy.
Bouterse, who had been living in hiding, passed away in December 2024.
Santokhi’s VHP had also explored coalition options to maintain its grip on power but ultimately stepped aside.
“It had decided not to oppose Geerlings-Simons’ election,” the party noted in a statement.
Suriname, with a population of roughly 600,000, boasts a rich cultural tapestry composed of descendants from India, Indonesia, China, the Netherlands, Indigenous communities, and African slaves.
This November, the country will celebrate 50 years since it gained independence from Dutch colonial rule.
In recent years, Suriname has deepened its ties with China, embracing the Asian powerhouse as both a diplomatic partner and economic benefactor. In 2019, it became one of the early adopters of China’s Belt and Road Initiative in Latin America.
As one of South America’s economically struggling nations, Suriname now looks to its burgeoning oil industry as a potential catalyst for national transformation and economic revival.