Jennifer Simons elected as first woman President of Suriname

Suriname: Jennifer Geerlings-Simons of National Democratic Party (NDP) has been elected as the first woman president of Suriname on Sunday. The decision comes after Jennifer’s party won elections in May.  

The 71-year-old veteran politician and former opposition leader was chosen after she was left as the only nominee for the presidency as the opposition party withdrew from the race last week.  

Jennifer secured 18 of the 51 seats in the national assembly, emerging as the largest single party in the newly elected body. However, her way to presidency was secured through a political alliance with five other smaller parties giving the coalition a 34-seat majority in the parliament.  

These elections also mark a turning point for Suriname as it prepares to celebrate its 50th independence anniversary in November. Jennifer in response to her win in the parliament also shared a post on her social media where she emphasized that it is up to the government to help the country in having a decent and good existence.  

“Our country has everything we need to have a decent and even good existence. It is now up to us to make this happen in a period of great challenges for Suriname but also in the world,” Jennifer said.  

Jennifer’s career as a politician  

Jennnifer is notably a renowned politician with her career spanning with years of experience. She has previously served the parliament as the speaker of the national assembly and has also held several positions in the NDP. Her rise to the position of presidency is being widely celebrated across Suriname and the wider Caribbean as it marks a historic step in the history.  

Upon her victory, Jennifer also emphasized that her victory marks a collective achievement for every woman who has ever dreamed of leading the country. She made this statement immediately after holding the position as the voting ended.