Politics in Bonaire is entering a new phase of restructuring with the announcement of a new political party launched in haste: Partido Animo, led by the well-known former deputy Nina den Heyer.
While the headquarters in Tera Kòrá is being prepared for its official launch in September, public opinion and political analysts are questioning the move and the constant party switching of this leader. This fuels the debate over whether this step represents a true change for the people or simply a struggle to maintain individual power.
Nina den Heyer was a member of the MPB party from around 2016 to 2022. She entered active politics in 2016 and became a deputy for the MPB; in 2019, she participated as the head of the list and was the biggest vote-getter. In July 2022, she announced her retirement from active politics. When she returned to the government as a deputy in October 2023, she did so as an apolitical vakgedeputeerde under the coalition led by the Democratic Party (PDB), even though she was not a member of the PDB. Throughout her political career, Nina den Heyer was never a member of the PDB; her political affiliation was always tied to the MPB.
For many observers, the creators of Animo emerge after a series of political moves where Den Heyer has “jumped the fence” more than once. After being the main face and biggest vote-getter for the MPB for two consecutive elections, she distanced herself from the “blue” party, but it is unknown if she truly let go of the MPB entirely. Many question whether what Nina did was a strategy executed together with the MPB to infiltrate the most beloved party in Bonaire, the PDB. However, the instability in these coalitions and internal tensions left her without a fixed political home, and now she has launched her own political platform: Partido Animo.
• Total Autonomy vs. Compromise: In parties like the MPB or PDB, decisions are subject to a board and common consensus. With Animo, Den Heyer will have absolute control over the political agenda and candidate selection.
• The Identity of ‘Animo’: Den Heyer’s great challenge will be to demonstrate that Animo is not just an electoral vehicle for herself, but an institutionalized party with a clear ideology for the people.
The discussion on the streets of Bonaire is divided. On one hand, her supporters see this step as an act of courage. On the other hand, critics point out that the inability to work in a team in other parties is counterproductive to the island’s stability. With the opening of her headquarters in September, Nina den Heyer will have to answer to the people: not only about her government plan but also why she failed to realize her vision in previous political parties. The electorate will have to decide if this new ‘Animo’ is a light of hope or just more of the same politics seeking power.
What is the real difference of having your own party? The biggest journalistic question arises when a politician cannot envision structural and lasting work in existing formations.