The ceremony in Curaçao was meant to mark a new chapter for the Joint Court of Justice, as Sigmar Carmelia was formally installed as its new president. Representatives from across the Caribbean part of the Kingdom gathered for the occasion, and the mood was appropriately solemn and hopeful. But Aruba’s Attorney General, Amalin Flanegin, used the platform to do much more than offer congratulations. In a speech that felt less like a formality and more like a wake-up call, she warned that the democratic rule of law is under real and growing pressure. Crime, disinformation, shifting power structures, and a deepening loss of public confidence are not abstract threats. They are everyday realities undermining the trust that holds societies together. Flanegin’s message was clear: protecting the rule of law is not a job for judges and prosecutors alone. It is a shared responsibility that belongs to everyone—governments, politicians, businesses, civil society organizations, journalists, and ordinary citizens. She spoke about the justice system as a fragile but essential pillar of democracy, one that depends not only on laws and institutions but on the collective will to defend the values that give it meaning.
Flanegin painted a picture of a society where problems no longer exist in isolation. Rising gun violence, growing mental health challenges, and government services stretched beyond capacity are all connected, she argued, and together they create a climate in which public trust can quietly erode. When people feel that public institutions cannot help them when they need it most, or when they feel treated unjustly, they begin to lose faith in government and in the legal system itself. This is not just a matter of statistics or policy debates. It is about the lived experience of citizens who turn to authorities for protection and support, only to encounter delays, indifference, or a sense that the system is not working for them. Flanegin warned that these challenges should never be viewed as separate problems. They feed into one another, and they can weaken the very foundations of democratic society. Her words were a reminder that a justice system does not function in a vacuum. It operates within a larger social and political environment, and when that environment becomes strained, the courts and the law cannot be expected to remain untouched. The Attorney General’s remarks were a call to see the bigger picture and to understand that the health of democracy depends on the health of the whole society.
A central theme of Flanegin’s address was the separation of powers, a principle that lies at the heart of democratic governance. In a healthy democracy, the executive, legislative, and judicial branches operate independently, each providing checks and balances on the others. Citizens must be able to challenge government decisions before an independent and impartial judiciary. That is not a privilege; it is a right, and it is essential to ensuring that power is never exercised without accountability. Flanegin warned, however, that this balance can no longer be taken for granted. She pointed to international political developments that have raised alarm about the independence of democratic institutions, and she specifically referenced Project 2025 in the United States, a conservative policy initiative whose proposals, in her assessment, seek to strengthen executive authority at the expense of other branches of government. She placed this within a broader global conversation about political power and institutional independence, stressing that the judiciary must be protected from inappropriate interference. Her message was not just about distant political debates. It was a warning that the pressures shaping other countries can find their way into the Caribbean as well, and that vigilance is needed to ensure that the courts remain a space where justice is delivered fairly, without fear or favor.
Flanegin also insisted that the democratic rule of law is about far more than elections, legislation, or the formal existence of public institutions. It is rooted in fundamental values: equality before the law, justice, fairness, and respect for differing opinions. She drew on the work of Herman Tjeenk Willink, the former vice president of the Netherlands’ Council of State, to emphasize that democratic principles must guide not only citizens but also government institutions themselves. Public authorities cannot demand loyalty to the rule of law from ordinary people while failing to uphold those same principles in their own decisions and actions. There is a certain hypocrisy that erodes trust faster than almost anything else, when those in power speak loudly about justice but behave in ways that contradict the values they claim to defend. Flanegin’s point was that every branch of government has a duty to maintain democratic standards. The judiciary must remain independent, legislators must work within the constitutional framework, and the executive must respect the limits of its authority. None of this can be taken for granted. It requires constant attention, humility, and a willingness to be held accountable. The law is not just a set of rules; it is a promise that power will be exercised fairly, and that promise must be honored by governments just as much as by citizens.
Another urgent concern raised by Flanegin was the growing influence of misinformation and deliberate disinformation. She warned that judicial institutions and other public bodies are increasingly subjected to attacks that are not grounded in substantive debate or factual criticism. This is a troubling development, because the repeated circulation of false or misleading information can create an environment where evidence matters less and personal beliefs are presented as established facts. Flanegin specifically mentioned criticism and attacks directed at international institutions, including the International Criminal Court, as examples of the pressures facing judicial organizations. She also made an important distinction between legitimate criticism of judicial decisions, which is a healthy part of democratic debate, and attacks that are designed to discredit institutions through lies and manipulation. The former should be welcomed; the latter must be recognized as a threat. The danger is not only to the reputation of the courts but to the very idea that truth and facts matter. Over time, persistent disinformation can make people cynical about everything, so that they no longer know whom to trust or what to believe. This erosion of shared reality is a serious challenge for democracy, and it is especially damaging for institutions whose authority depends on public confidence. Flanegin warned that without trust, the justice system cannot function. People must believe that the courts are fair and that the law applies equally to everyone. When that belief is shattered, the entire system is at risk.
Flanegin also looked to the future and expressed concern about the long-term consequences of sustained attacks on the judiciary and prosecution services. She warned that young legal professionals may become discouraged from pursuing careers as judges or public prosecutors if judicial institutions are constantly portrayed in a negative light or subjected to hostility. This is a particularly serious issue for the Caribbean islands, where attracting and retaining qualified legal professionals is already difficult because of small populations and limited recruitment pools. A shortage of judges, prosecutors, and other legal professionals would place even greater pressure on institutions that are already struggling to meet the demands placed on them. The Attorney General’s warning was about sustainability. The rule of law does not only need to be protected in the present; it needs to be preserved for the future. That means ensuring that the next generation of legal professionals sees a meaningful and dignified career in public service. It also means creating a social and political climate in which the work of the judiciary is respected, even when individual decisions are criticized. Flanegin concluded her address with an appeal to society to take an active role in defending the democratic rule of law. She emphasized that judges and prosecutors cannot carry this responsibility alone. Political leaders, government officials, businesses, civil society organizations, journalists, and citizens all have a part to play. The installation of Sigmar Carmelia as president of the Joint Court of Justice was not just a moment of celebration. It was an opportunity for reflection, a chance to think about the challenges facing the administration of justice throughout Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten, and the Caribbean Netherlands. Flanegin’s central message was simple but powerful: the democratic rule of law cannot be sustained by legislation and institutions alone. It requires public trust, independent institutions, and a shared commitment to the values that underpin democracy. It is a common good, and it must be defended by everyone, every day.