National Party of Suriname
The National Party of Suriname (Dutch: Nationale Partij Suriname, NPS) is a social democratic political party in Suriname, founded in 1946, and since June 2012 led by Gregory Rusland. For a long time it was the largest ruling party in the country, and it has been in government for a total of over 40 years. Of the 16 general elections held in Suriname, the party or a coalition it was a leading part of finished in first place 11 times. The party tends to be more popular among Afro-Surinamese and Mulattos.
National Party of Suriname Nationale Partij Suriname | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | NPS |
| Leader | Gregory Rusland |
| Founded | 29 September 1946 |
| Ideology | Social democracy Historical: Afro-Surinamese interests Surinamese independence |
| Political position | Centre[1] |
| Colours | Green |
| National Assembly | 3 / 51
|
At the 2005 legislative elections, the party was part of the New Front for Democracy and Development that won 41.2% of the popular vote and 23 out of 51 seats in the National Assembly.
In 1993 Ronald Venetiaan became party leader. Since that time, the NPS witnessed a decline in the elections that followed. In June 2012, Venetiaan stepped down from party leadership. Party elections were held for his successor with Gregory Rusland winning seven out of eleven districts, and Ivan Fernald winning four.[2][3] In the 2015 general elections, the party had it worst results ever, gaining only 2 seats in the National Assembly.
Electoral results
| Election year | No. of
overall seats won |
% | Votes | Rank | +/– | Lijsttrekker | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 12 / 21 |
57,1% | 1st |  |
J.C. de Miranda | Coalition | |
| 1951 | 13 / 21 |
61,9% | 1st | |
A. Currie | Coalition | |
| 1955 | 2 / 21 3 / 21 After VHP candidate withdrawal |
9,5% | 3rd (tie) |  |
– | Opposition | |
| 1958 | 9 / 21 |
42,9% | 1st | |
S.D. Emanuels | Coalition | |
| 1963 | 14 / 36 |
38,9% | 1st | |
Johan Adolf Pengel | Coalition | |
| 1967 | 17 / 39 18 / 39 After defection Pawiroredjo (SRI) |
29.5% | 61,085 | 1st | |
Johan Adolf Pengel | Coalition |
| 1969 | 11 / 39 |
27.2% | 55,482 | 2nd | |
– | Opposition |
| 1973 | 13 / 39 |
33,3% | 1st | |
Henck Arron | Coalition
(National Party Combination) | |
| 1977 | 15 / 39 |
38,5% | 1st | |
Henck Arron | Coalition
(National Party Combination) | |
| 1987 | 15 / 51 |
29,4% | 2nd | Henck Arron | Coalition
(Front for Democracy and Development) | ||
| 1991 | 12 / 51 |
23,5% | 1st | |
Ronald Venetiaan | Coalition | |
| 1996 | 9 / 51 |
17,6% | 2nd | |
Ronald Venetiaan | Opposition[lower-alpha 1] | |
| 2000 | 15 / 51 |
29,4% | 1st | |
Ronald Venetiaan | Coalition
(New Front for Democracy and Development) | |
| 2005 | 8 / 51 |
15,7% | 1st | |
Ronald Venetiaan | Coalition
(New Front for Democracy and Development) | |
| 2010 | 4 / 51 |
7,8% | 1st | |
Ronald Venetiaan | Opposition
(New Front for Democracy and Development) | |
| 2015 | 2 / 51 |
3,9% | 2nd | |
Gregory Rusland | Opposition
(V7) | |
| 2020 | 3 / 51 |
11.82% | 32,390 | 4th | |
Gregory Rusland | Coalition |
Representation
Members of the Third Venetiaan Cabinet (2005-2010)
| Ministers | Party | Portfolio |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Venetiaan | NPS | President |
| Lygia Kraag-Keteldijk | NPS | Foreign Affairs |
| Ivan Fernald | NPS | Defense |
| Humphrey Hildenberg | NPS | Finance |
| Gregory Rusland | NPS | Natural Resources |
Members of the Second Venetiaan Cabinet (2000-2005)
| Ministers | Party | Portfolio |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Venetiaan | NPS | President |
| Marie Levens | NPS | Foreign Affairs |
| Ronald Assen | NPS | Defense |
| Humphrey Hildenberg | NPS | Finance |
| Franco Demon | NPS | Natural Resources |
| Romeo van Russel | NPS | Regional Development |
Members of the First Venetiaan Cabinet (1991-1996)
| Ministers | Party | Portfolio |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Venetiaan | NPS | President |
| Eddy Sedoc (acting)
Rudi Roseval Eddy Sedoc (acting) Humphrey Hildenberg |
NPS | Finance |
| Harold Pollack
Franco Demon |
NPS | Natural Resources |
| Rufus Nooitmeer
Romeo van Russel |
NPS | Regional Development |
| Cor Pigot
Gerard Hiwat |
NPS | Education |
| Eddy Sedoc
Ronald Assen |
NPS | Planning and Development Cooperation |
Members of the Shankar Cabinet (1988-1990)
| Ministers | Party | Portfolio |
|---|---|---|
| Henck Arron | NPS | Vice President and Planning |
| Eddy Sedoc | NPS | Foreign Affairs |
| Ronald Venetiaan | NPS | Education |
| Romeo van Russel | NPS | Labour |
| Elfriede Alexander-Vanenburg | NPS | Internal Affairs |
| Wilfred Grep | NPS | Transport, Trade and Industry |
Members of the Second Arron cabinet (1977-1980)
| Ministers | Party | Portfolio |
|---|---|---|
| Henck Arron | NPS | Prime minister and Foreign Affairs |
| Olton van Genderen | NPS | Internal Affairs |
| Lesley Goede | NPS | Finance |
| Ronald Venetiaan | NPS | Education |
| Michael Cambridge | NPS | Construction |
| Achmed Karamat Ali | NPS | Public Works and Traffic |
Members of the First Arron cabinet (1973-1977)
| Ministers | Party | Portfolio |
|---|---|---|
| Henck Arron | NPS | Prime minister and Finance |
| Olton van Genderen | NPS | District Administration and Decentralization |
| Ronald Venetiaan | NPS | Education |
| Michael Cambridge | NPS | Construction |
| Achmed Karamat Ali | NPS | Public Works and Traffic |
References
- {{cite web|url=https://www.npssuriname.org/over-ons/
- "Gregory Rusland, nieuwe voorzitter NPS" (in Dutch). StarNieuws. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
- "Gregory Rusland leider Nationale Partij Suriname" (in Dutch). 17 June 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
- The NDP alleged fraud and a lack of free and fair conditions. As a result, the New Front for Democracy and Development disintegrated and eventually 29 legislators joined under the control of the coalition led by the NDP.
