Political Parties in Suriname

In Suriname there are 24 registered political parties. Only those parties who can show that they have the support of 1% of the Surinamese voters, will receive permission from the Independent Electoral Office to participate in an election. In order to meet the 1% demand, most parties will form “pre-election coalitions”. Since it is difficult for one single party to win the majority of the 51 seats in parliament, parties also form pre-election coalition if they believe that by doing so they can win the elections.
Except for the Pendawalima , the NDP and de BEP, all parties entered the may 1996 elections as political coalitions, namely: Nieuw Front (NPS, VHP, SPA and KTPI), the Alliantie (HPP, DA PSV and FAL) and the Democratisch Alternatief ’91 (AF, OPDA, BEP). None of the parties acquired a majority in the may 1996 elections, and new (now post-election) coalitions had to be formed. Since pre-election coalitions are more or less based on opportunistic reasons they will fall apart when:

1. negotiations to form a government with other aspirant coalition partners will take too long, or

2. when demands of a pre-election coalition partner are not met “sufficiently” enough.

Due to this weakness, the NDP, who after the elections had been maneuvered in an underdog position by the negotiating parties, came out as top dog and formed the new Surinamese government. While parties were dealing the NDP followed a successful strategy in splitting up the pre-election coalition partners. Seats acquired in parliament

by pre-election coalition parties were reshuffled. Due to the NDP strategy they broke up in individual parties (and persons) again.

Three months after the elections of may 1996. Dr. J.A. Wijdenbosch from the NDP was elected president of the Republic of Suriname.

Coalition and opposition

The following parties formed the coalition respectively the opposition in The National Assembly of Suriname:

(Coalition with 31 seats in Parliament)

The Basis Partij voor Democratie (BVD), with 5 seats

The Politieke vleugel van de Federatie voor Landbouwers (FAL), 1 seat

The Hervormde Progressieve Partij (HPP), 3 seat

The Kaum Tani Persatuan Indonesia (KTPI), 4 seats

The Nationale Democratishe Partij (NDP) , 16 seats

The Onafhankelijk Progressief Democratisch Alternatief (OPDA), 2 seats

(Opposition)

The Democratisch Alternatief ’91 (DA’91), 2 seat

The Democratische Partij (DP), 1 seat

The Nationale Partij Suriname (NPS), 9 seats

The Pendawalima, 4 seats

The Surinaamse Arbeiders Partij (SPA), 1 seat

The Vooruitstrevende Hervormings Partij (VHP), 4 seats

(For data on departments and see parbo.com/gov/)

Addresses of Political Parties in Suriname with seats in the National Assembly

Basis Partij voor Democratie (BVD)

Address: Hk. Benjaminstraat/ Boretstraat

Phone Secretariat: 495064

Party symbol: Lyon

Year Founded: 1996

Chairman: Mr. M. Mungra

Politieke Vleugel van de Federatie van Landbouwers (FAL)

Address: Keizerstraat 150

Phone Secretariat: 420833

Party symbol: none

Year Founded: 1996

Chairman: Mr. J. Sital

Hernieuwde Progressieve Partij (HPP)

Address: Nw. Yorkstraat 9

Phone Secretariat: 493700

Party symbol: Sun

Year Founded: 1973

Chairman: Mr. H. Kisoensingh

Kaun Tangi Persatuan Indonesia (KTPI)

Address: Bonistraat 64

Phone Secretariat: 454770

Party symbol: The Wayang kulit puppet Djanoko (Ardjun)

Year Founded: 1949

Chairman: Mr. W. Soemita

Nationale Democratische Partij (NDP)

Address: Benjaminstraat

Phone Secretariat: 499573

Party symbol: Fower called Stanvaste (Consistence)

Year Founded: 1986

Chairman: Mr. D. Bouterse

Onafhankelijke Partij Democratisch Alternatief (OPDA)

Address:

Phone Secretariat: 435406

Party symbol: none

Year Founded: 1996

Chairman: Mr. J. Ramkhelawan

Democratisch Alternatief ‘91 (DA’91)

Address: Gravenstraat

Phone Secretariat : 470276

Party symbol: none

Year Founded: 1991

Chairman: Mr. W. Jessurun

The Democratische Partij (DP)

Address: Parklaan 12

Phone Secretariat: 452595

Party symbol: none

Year Founded: 1993

Chairman: Mr. F. Playfair.

The Nationale Partij Suriname (NPS)

Address: Wanicastraat 77

Phone Secretariat: 477302

Party symbol: Burning torch

Year Founded: 1946

Chairman: Mr. R. Venetiaan

The Pendawalima

Address: Gemenelandsweg

Phone Secretariat:

Party symbol: Five Pandua brothers (Ramayana)

Year Founded: 1973

Chairman: Mr. S. Somohardjo

Surinaamse Partij van de Arbeid (SPA)

Address: Rust en Vredestraat 64b

Phone Secretariat: 425912

Party symbol: Cogwheel

Year Founded:

Chairman: Mr. F. Derby

Vooruitstrevende Hervormings Partij (VHP)

Address: Coppenamestraat 130

Phone Secretariat: 499977

Party symbol: Elephant

Year Founded: 1949

Chairman: Mr. J. Lachmon