The Progressive Reform Party (, VHP; Sarnami Hindustani: वूरुइत्स्त्रेवेन्दे हेर्वोर्मिङ्स पर्तिज or प्रगतिशील सुधार दल, ''Pragatisheel Sudhaar Dal''), is a

political party A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular area's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology, ...

Suriname Suriname, officially the Republic of Suriname, is a country in northern South America, also considered as part of the Caribbean and the West Indies. It is a developing country with a Human Development Index, high level of human development; i ...

. It was originally founded in January 1949 as a merger of three parties to represent the

Indo-Surinamese Indo-Surinamese, Indian-Surinamese, or Hindustani Surinamese are nationals of Suriname who trace their ancestry to the Indian subcontinent. Their ancestors were indentured labourers brought by the Dutch and the British to the Dutch colony of S ...

community. The party occupies a position straddling the political centre and

centre-left Centre-left politics is the range of left-wing political ideologies that lean closer to the political centre. Ideologies commonly associated with it include social democracy, social liberalism, progressivism, and green politics. Ideas commo ...

, advocating for a combination of

social-democratic Social democracy is a social, economic, and political philosophy within socialism that supports political and economic democracy and a gradualist, reformist, and democratic approach toward achieving social equality. In modern practice, socia ...

and social-liberal policies under the

Third Way The Third Way is a predominantly centrist political position that attempts to reconcile centre-right and centre-left politics by advocating a varying synthesis of Right-wing economics, right-wing economic and Left-wing politics, left-wing so ...

philosophy. During the party's history it frequently allied itself with the

National Party of Suriname The National Party of Suriname (, NPS) is a 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 ove ...

(NPS) that historically represented the

Afro-Surinamese Afro-Surinamese are the inhabitants of Suriname of mostly West African and Central African ancestry. They are descended from enslaved Africans brought to work on sugar plantations. Many of them escaped the plantations and formed independent sett ...

community. Chan Santokhi is the chairman of the party since 3 July 2011. The VHP is a multi-ethnic party and is primarily supported by Indo-Surinamese. Previous chairman Ram Sardjoe holds the title of honorary chairman. After the 2020 parliamentary elections, the Progressive Reform Party is the biggest political party in Suriname. Chan Santokhi became the new

President of Suriname The president of the Republic of Suriname () is, in accordance with the Constitution of 1987, the head of state and head of government of Suriname, and commander-in-chief of the Suriname National Army (SNL). The president also appoints a cab ...

. The party has been part of seven government coalitions, in the periods of: 1958–1963 (five years), 1963–1967 (four years), 1969–1973 (four years), 1987–1991 (four years), 1991–1996 (five years), 2000–2005 (five years) and 2005–2010 (five years); a total of 32 years. In 2020, the party formed a coalition government with the General Liberation and Development Party led by Ronnie Brunswijk, the new Vice President of Suriname.

Representation

1949 * S. Rambaran Mishre * H.W. Mohamed Radja * L.B. Sitalsing * H. Shriemisier * J. Lachmon * S.M. Jamaludin 1951 * J. Lachmon * H.S. Radakushun * H.F. Sewberath Misser * J.S. Mungra * K. Kanhai * R.D. Oedayrajsing Varma 1955 * J. Lachmon * H.S. Radakushun * H.F. Sewberath Misser * J.S. Mungra * K. Kanhai * R.D. Oedayrajsing Varma 1958 * J. Lachmon * H. Mungra * H.S. Radakushun * M. Ramdjan 1963 * J.H. Adhin * J. Lachmon * B. Laigsingh * L. Mungra * R.M. Nannan Panday * D. Sathoe * H. Shriemisier

Electoral results

Chairmen

The party has had four chairmen since its founding: *16 January 1949 – 18 October 2001: Jagernath Lachmon *19 October 2001 – 23 December 2001: *23 December 2001 – 3 July 2011: Ramdien Sardjoe *3 July 2011 – present: Chan Santokhi

Notes

References

External links

Official websiteOfficial website of Youth DivisionOfficial Facebook Page
{{Authority control Political parties in Suriname Hindu organisations based in Suriname Ethnic political parties Hindu nationalist political parties Social democratic parties in South America Political parties established in 1949 1949 establishments in South America Political parties of minorities in Suriname