The president of the territorial council may, after deliberation by the executive council, refer to the administrative court a request for an opinion on the interpretation of the status of Saint-Martin or on the applicability in the collectivity of a legislative or regulatory text.
In the event of serious difficulty, the president of the administrative court may refer this request to the Conseil d’Etat.
When the request for an opinion relates to the division of powers between the State and the local authority, it is examined by the Conseil d’Etat, to which it is referred without delay. The State representative is informed immediately.