The evolution of political structures since 1946
Departmentalization was as important for the island as the abolition of slavery. This long-awaited assimilation law transforming the former colonies (Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana and Reunion) into French departments was vigorously defended by Aimé Césaire. However, the difficult economic and social situation, as well as the repression of certain political movements, hampered its effective application. It wasn't until 1996, with the passing of the law on social equality between metropolitan France and the overseas departments, that the Martiniquais really benefited from the same social assistance schemes (allowances, alignment of the overseas minimum wage with that of metropolitan France) and legal, political and social equality with their metropolitan counterparts.
This new status had legislative importance, but the real social changes didn't come until 1950. During this period, the Caribbean saw major emigration to mainland France. In 1963, General de Gaulle's government created the Bumidom (Bureau des migrations des départements d'outre-mer). For twenty years, this organization organized the departure of thousands of workers from the West Indies and Reunion to France. Nearly 160,000 Martiniquais left their island to work or study in mainland France. Martinique was thus deprived of a large proportion of its youth, which gradually accelerated the island's demographic aging.
A single local authority.
In January 2010, a referendum was held on the island's status. The referendum was to determine whether Martinique should remain a department (as defined in Article 73 of the French Constitution), or become an overseas collectivity with greater autonomy outside the sovereign powers of the State (Article 74 of the Constitution). The result of the ballot box was very clear: 79.3% of voters said 'no' to transforming the DOM into a collectivity. The people of Martinique voted in favor of the creation of a single collectivity exercising the powers devolved to the département and the region. The aim of this constitutional reform is to rationalize tasks by avoiding duplication and the inevitable overlapping of powers between institutions. This will result in significant savings thanks to retirements.
For Alfred Marie-Jeanne, president of the former Mouvement Indépendantiste Martiniquais and supporter of the "yes" vote, the defeat was crushing, and the pro-independence candidate lost out to the list led by Serge Letchimy, a staunch supporter of Article 73. Letchimy then became the new president of Martinique's regional council. In November 2015, however, the situation was reversed: the people of Martinique, called to the polls to unite the island's Conseil Général and Conseil Régional into a single territorial authority, this time put their trust in Alfred Marie-Jeanne, who was elected president of the Collectivité Territoriale de Martinique. Alfred Marie-Jeanne thus became the first President of the Executive Council of the Collectivité Territoriale de Martinique (from 2015 to 2021). In the end, the Collectivité Territoriale de Martinique (CTM) became a single territorial authority, succeeding the overseas department and region of Martinique in all their rights and obligations on January1, 2016.
Today, Serge Letchimy has returned to power and holds the post of President. In March 2025, he met with the Minister for Overseas France to discuss priority issues: the fight against the high cost of living, food self-sufficiency, security, employment and local development. Although this meeting did not result in any concrete commitments, Martinique remains at the heart of political concerns. In its quest for regional integration, the island became an associate member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in February 2025, opening up new development prospects and strengthening its regional foothold. CARICOM comprises 15 Caribbean states and six British and Dutch overseas territories.
Clear economic and social progress
Martinique's economy is characterized by a particularly well-developed public sector, making it the French region with the highest level of public administration. Tourism, which attracts over a million visitors a year, remains the leading employment sector, although it is currently going through a period of uncertainty. Tourist numbers have benefited over the last ten years from the renewed interest in cruises. For the 2024-2025 season, Martinique welcomed 450,000 cruise passengers, up 11% on the previous year.
Compared to its Caribbean neighbors, Martinique enjoys a high standard of living. The assimilation law of 1946 strengthened the island's democratic framework and provided the stability necessary for its social progress. The health care system is among the best in the region. Life expectancy in Martinique has increased (75 years for men, 81 years for women), bringing it closer to that of metropolitan France. In terms of education, the island boasts a literacy rate of over 90%.
The housing sector has improved considerably, with a notable reduction in substandard housing, particularly in the working-class districts of Fort-de-France. Territorial planning guarantees modern infrastructure in the fields of health, electricity and water distribution, as well as communications (airport, port, roads).
To stimulate development in the overseas departments and territories, the French government has deployed a number of measures. In addition to subsidies from the European Union via the European Economic and Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF), Martinique benefits from specific measures such as an advantageous customs, trade and tax policy, as well as free trade zones. The tax exemption policy (Loi Pinel), which was designed to encourage investment in overseas France and offset the higher cost of materials and difficulties in accessing credit in these territories, was repealed on March 31, 2025.
Agriculture in Martinique
Martinique's economy is deeply rooted in its colonial agricultural past. Historically, the island produced a wide variety of crops: cotton, tobacco, indigo, spices (cinnamon, pepper), coffee, cocoa, as well as various fruit, vegetable (dachine or taro, chili, yam, manioc) and market garden crops (tomato, melon, cucumber). Heir to this past, the island today finds itself in a rather paradoxical situation: its agricultural sector, though developed, remains fragile. Despite the importance of agriculture in export earnings, agricultural land is steadily diminishing. This situation has made Martinique 80% dependent on imports to satisfy local needs. Current agricultural production is essentially based on two main export crops: bananas and sugar cane.
Bananas are the island's leading export product, with strong historical and cultural roots. However, the island's producers have been weakened by competition from bananas from other countries such as Colombia and Guatemala, which benefit from lower labor costs, as well as by a lack of rainfall in recent years. The island's agriculture also has to contend with the scandal surrounding chlordecone, an insecticide used to combat weevils in banana plantations. Banned in the United States since 1977 and in France since 1989 due to its proven toxicity, the French government nevertheless authorized its use in Martinique and Guadeloupe until 1993, causing the contamination of a third of Martinique's farmland, particularly in the northeast of the island, and groundwater for thousands of years. This molecule, which is very persistent in the environment, could be the main cause of prostate cancer in Martinique. The island has the highest annual incidence of prostate cancer in the world. Growers decided to move towards sustainable banana cultivation, with the aim of reducing the impact of this crop on other ecosystems. In ten years, the Martinique banana industry has succeeded in reducing the use of phytosanitary products by 75%.
Sugar cane is Martinique's second most important crop. 80% of its production is used to make AOC rum, while the remaining 20% is used to make sugar. The distilleries' need for cane to produce AOC agricultural rum is as strong as ever, putting the island's only sugar refinery in a difficult position, as its cane input and sugar output have fallen by over 40% in 10 years. The distilleries have become veritable hubs for the development of Martinique's heritage.
New directions. More and more voices are being raised against the monopoly of banana and sugarcane production. To diversify their production, Martinican farmers are now exploring more respectful and sustainable methods such as permaculture, agroforestry and agroecology. Modern technologies - such as connected objects, drones and artificial intelligence - also enable them to monitor and optimize their crops in real time, improving farm productivity.
Initiatives favoring short "lokalvores" circuits (baskets, local markets) are multiplying, encouraging Martiniquans to give priority to consuming local produce. These channels reduce the number of intermediaries and encourage direct contact with producers.
High-value-added crops such as cocoa, vanilla and coffee are also making a comeback. These emerging sectors offer considerable growth potential for the region, driven by strong international demand.
Martinique's agriculture benefits from the European POSEI program (Programme d'options spécifiques à l'éloignement et à l'insularité), which supports the outermost regions. This program has two main components: the "régime spécifique d'approvisionnement" (RSA), which reduces the cost of inputs, and the "mesures en faveur des productions agricoles locales" (MFPAL), which supports four key sectors - bananas, the cane-sugar-rum sector, the livestock industry and the diversification of plant production.
