President of Suriname

President of Suriname
President of Suriname
President van de Republiek Suriname
	Standard of the President of Suriname
	Incumbent; Chan Santokhi; since 16 July 2020
Style	Mr. President (Informal) ; His Excellency (diplomatic)
Residence	Presidential Palace
Term length	Five years, renewable
Inaugural holder	Johan Ferrier
Formation	25 November 1975
Deputy	Vice President of Suriname
Salary	133,560 USD annually
Website	Cabinet of the President

The President of the Republic of Suriname (Dutch: President van de Republiek Suriname) is, in accordance with the Constitution of 1987, the head of state and head of government of Suriname, and commander-in-chief of the Suriname National Army (SNL).

The current president is Chan Santokhi, a former chief of police. He is affiliated with the Progressive Reform Party (VHP). Santokhi was elected on 13 July 2020 as president by acclamation in an uncontested election,^[3] and inaugurated on 16 July on the Onafhankelijkheidsplein in Paramaribo in a ceremony without the public present due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[4]^[5]

History

The office of president was created upon independence from the Netherlands in 1975. Until 1987, the role was largely ceremonial. The first officeholder was Johan Ferrier, a schoolteacher and veteran politician who had served as governor since 1968. He resigned as president in August 1980, several months after a coup d'état. From then until 1988, the titular Presidents were essentially army-installed puppets of Lt. Col. Bouterse, who ruled as a dictator with few practical checks on his power. Democracy was restored in 1988, the year after the adoption of the constitution, in which the duties and responsibilities of the president were included. On 24 December 1990, two days after Bouterse's resignation as army commander, the army called president Ramsewak Shankar to inform him that he and his cabinet were removed from office. Police Chief and Acting Commander of the army, Ivan Graanoogst was appointed Acting President. On 27 December 1990, Johannes Kraag became the president. Since 1991, the president is elected democratically.

Election

The president and a vice president are elected by no less than a two-thirds supermajority of members in the National Assembly to a five-year mandate and are accountable to the Assembly. During their time in office, the president must forfeit any additional posts in politics or business.

Qualification

A candidate must be a Surinamese national (resident in the country for at least six years) who is at least 30 years of age. A candidate must win at least two-thirds of the votes in the Assembly to be elected. If no candidate wins two-thirds after three rounds, the vote then goes to the United People's Congress, composed of the Assembly and local government officials. In this case, a simple majority is required.

Powers and duties

The president is vested with extensive functional powers. The president names and dismisses ministers, signs bills, and names and dismisses diplomatic staff. He declares war and states of emergency with the ratification of the National Assembly. He concludes foreign treaties and agreements, again with the assent of the Assembly. He also exercises ceremonial duties such as conferring awards, receiving foreign diplomats, and granting pardons.

List of presidents

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political party
No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Political party
1		Johan Ferrier (1910–2010)	25 November 1975	13 August 1980	4 years, 262 days	National Party of Suriname
-		Dési Bouterse (1945–)	13 August 1980	15 August 1980	2 days	National Party of Suriname
2		Hendrick Chin A Sen (1934–1999)	15 August 1980	4 February 1982	1 year, 173 days	Nationalist Republican Party
-		Dési Bouterse (1945–)	4 February 1982	4 February 1982	4 days	National Party of Suriname
3		Fred Ramdat Misier (1926–2004)	8 February 1982	25 January 1988	5 years, 351 days	Independent
4		Ramsewak Shankar (1937–)	25 January 1988	24 December 1990	2 years, 333 days	Progressive Reform Party (Suriname)
-		Ivan Graanoogst (1950–)	24 December 1990	29 December 1990	5 days	National Party of Suriname
5		Johan Kraag (1913–1996)	29 December 1990	15 September 1991	261 days	National Party of Suriname
6		Ronald Venetiaan (1937–)	15 September 1991	15 September 1996	4 years, 365 days	National Party of Suriname
7		Jules Wijdenbosch (1942–)	15 September 1996	12 August 2000	3 years, 332 days	National Democratic Party (Suriname)
8		Ronald Venetiaan (1937–)	12 August 2000	12 August 2010	10 years, 0 days	National Party of Suriname
9		Dési Bouterse (1945–)	12 August 2010	16 July 2020	9 years, 339 days	National Democratic Party (Suriname)
10		Chandrikapersad Santokhi (1959–)	16 July 2020	Incumbent	4 years, 82 days	Progressive Reform Party (Suriname)