BRIEF HISTORY

The New Front for Democracy and Development (Nieuwe Front voor Democratie en Ontwikkeling) is a Social democratic political alliance in Suriname.  .  The alliance is formed by:

• Progressive Reform Party (Vooruitstrevende Hervormings Partij) (currently 8 seats)
• National Party of Suriname (Nationale Partij Suriname) (currently 4 seats)
• Democratic Alternative '91 (Democratisch Alternatief '91) (currently 1 seat)
• Surinamese Labour Party (Surinaamse Partij van de Arbeid) (currently 1 seat)

In 1987, the first democratic elections after the military dictatorship, the Front won a landslide victory and took 39 of the 51 seats in parliament.  Four years later, in 1991, captured the combination only 30 seats.  They thus have retained an absolute majority and could form a new government.  The president was to be elected to the Assembly.  After the 1996 elections, the New Front fell apart.  The KTPI and some dissidents from the VHP chose a pact with Bouterse and the NDP.

At the legislative elections (25 May 2005), the alliance won 41.2% of the popular votes and 23 out of 51 seats in the National Assembly.    At the elections of 2010, the party won 14 out of the 51 seats.