Eugene Rhuggenaath

Eugene Rhuggenaath (born 4 February 1970)[1][2] is a Curaçaoan politician and party leader of the Partido Alternativa Real (PAR). He was Minister for Economic Development in the Cabinet-Koeiman in 2016. He was a member of the Island Council of Curaçao between 2003 and December 2009 and of the Estates of Curaçao since May 2017.

Eugene Rhuggenaath
Prime Minister of Curaçao
Incumbent
Assumed office 29 May 2017
Monarch	Willem-Alexander
Governor	Lucille George-Wout
Preceded by	Gilmar Pisas
Minister for Economic Development
In office 30 November 2015 – 24 March 2017
Prime Minister	Ben Whiteman Hensley Koeiman
Preceded by	Stanley Palm
Succeeded by	Errol Goeloe
Member of the Island council of Curaçao
In office 2003–2009
Member of the Estates of Curaçao
In office 11 May 2017 – 29 May 2017
Personal details
Born	(1970-02-04) 4 February 1970 Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles
Nationality	Dutch
Political party	Partido Alternativa Real (Real Alternative Party, PAR)

During the Curaçao general election of 2017 his party received most votes. Rhuggenaath was tasked to form a new coalition government by Governor Lucille George-Wout with his Party, Partido MAN and Partido Inovashon Nashonal.[3]

Rhuggenaath was sworn in as Prime Minister on 29 May 2017.[4]

On 29 September 2017 Rhuggenaath held a speech calling for more acceptance at the Curaçao Gay Pride, activists called the speech "historical".[5][6]

During the COVID19 crisis of 2020, Rhuggenaath refused to accept a financial aid package by the Netherlands, while 20 per cent of the population was dependent on food aid. Ultimately the conditions of the financial aid package were accepted, the conditions still have to be implemented, requiring sacrifices in the exuberant loans in the Public Sector. At the same time, Rhuggenaath and his cabinet raised their salaries in order to subvent the conditions of the financial aid package. Meanwhile the National Debt has risen to around 100 per cent of GDP, after the Netherlands provided a debt relief package in 2010, achieving a 28 per cent National Debt compared to GDP. Furthermore Standard and Poor's Sovereign ratings lowered its expectations due to financial mismanagement preceding the COVID19 crisis, the Financial Supervisory Board already flagged Rhuggenaath's government several times preceding the COVID19 crisis that it was in breach of the debt rules imposed as part the debt relief scheme implemented by the Netherlands in 2010.