National Democratic Party (Suriname)

National Democratic Party
Nationale Democratische Partij
AbbreviationNDP
PresidentJennifer Geerlings-Simons
FounderDési Bouterse
Founded4 July 1987
IdeologyLeft-wing nationalism[1]
Left-wing populism[2]
Historical:
Anti-imperialism
Political positionCentre-left[citation needed]
Historical:
Left-wing
Seats in the National Assembly
16 / 51
Website
www.ndpsuriname.com

The National Democratic Party (Dutch: Nationale Democratische Partij, NDP) is a political party in Suriname. It was founded on 4 July 1987 by Surinamese leader Dési Bouterse, and was one of the first parties in the country to have a stable base of support across different ethnic groups. In the 2015 general election the party scored 45.56% of the vote and 26 of 51 seats in parliament.[3]

NDP chairman Bouterse was elected President of Suriname on 19 July 2010, after he won the 2010 elections with his Mega Combination of which the NDP was the dominant party. The party won the 2015 elections as well, winning 26 seats against an alliance of 7 (later 6) opposition parties.

In the 2020 elections, the NDP won 16 of the 51 seats. Dési Bouterse lost the presidency and he was succeeded by opposition leader Chan Santokhi. The opposition parties formed a new coalition government. The NDP subsequently became the main opposition party.[4]

Foundation

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The NDP was formed from a reorganisation of the Vijfentwintig Februari Beweging (VFB, February Twenty-Five Movement),[5] a political movement established on 24 November 1983 by Dési Bouterse and the ruling military junta.[6]

Electoral results

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Election Votes +/– votes % of votes No. of

overall seats won

+/– seats % of seats Districts won Government Notes
1987 16,000 new 9%
3 / 51
Increase 3 5% Opposition
1991 34,429 Increase18,429 22%
12 / 51
Increase 8 23% Opposition
1996 45,466 Increase11,037 26%
16 / 51
Increase 4 31% Coalition
2000 27,657 Decrease17,809 15%
7 / 51
Decrease 9 13% Opposition Millenium Combinatie alliance
2005 48,879 Increase21,222 23%
15 / 51
Increase 8 29% Opposition
2010 95,543 Increase46,664 40%
18 / 51
Increase 4 37% Coalition Mega Combinatie alliance
2015 117,205 Increase21,662 45%
26 / 51
Increase 7 50% Majority
2020 65,862 Decrease51,343 24%
16 / 51
Decrease 10 31% Opposition

References

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  1. ^ Marchand, Iris (28 January 2014). "Dogla politics? Questioning ethnic consociationalism in Suriname's national elections of 25 May 2010". Ethnic and Racial Studies. 37 (2): 342–362. doi:10.1080/01419870.2012.720692. ISSN 0141-9870.
  2. ^ Fox, Ben (12 August 2010). "Suriname ex-dictator back as an elected president". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  3. ^ Star Nieuws retrieved 28 May 2015
  4. ^ "Suriname election: Convicted murderer Dési Bouterse is replaced by ex-police chief - BBC News". BBC News. 14 July 2020.
  5. ^ Janssen, Roger (2011). In Search of a Path: An Analysis of the Foreign Policy of Suriname from 1975 to 1991. Leiden: Brill. p. 203. ISBN 978-90-04-25367-4. JSTOR 10.1163/j.ctt1w8h0wm.
  6. ^ Janssen 2011, p. 174.
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