The Progressive Reform Party ( nl, Vooruitstrevende Hervormingspartij, VHP; Sarnami Hindustani: प्रगतिशील सुधार दल, ''Pragatisheel Sudhaar Dal''), formerly known as the United Hindustani Party ( nl, Verenigde Hindoestaanse Partij; Sarnami Hindustani: संयुक्त हिंदुस्तानी पार्टी, ''Samyukt Hindustani Party''; 1949–August 1966) and the Vatan Hitkari Party (

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

: ''Party for the Promotion of National Welfare''; , Sarnami Hindustani: वतन हितकारी पार्टी, ''Vatan Hitkari Party''; August 1966 – 1973), is a

political party A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country'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 (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north ...

. 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 people of Indian origin who are nationals of Suriname with ancestry from India and the wider subcontinent. Their ancestors were Indian indentured workers brought by the Dutch and th ...

community. The party occupies a position straddling the political

centre Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics * Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentri ...

and

centre-left Centre-left politics lean to the left on the left–right political spectrum but are closer to the centre than other left-wing politics. Those on the centre-left believe in working within the established systems to improve social justice. The c ...

, advocating for a combination of

social-democratic Social democracy is a Political philosophy, political, Social philosophy, social, and economic philosophy within socialism that supports Democracy, political and economic democracy. As a policy regime, it is described by academics as advocati ...

and

social-liberal Social liberalism (german: Sozialliberalismus, es, socioliberalismo, nl, Sociaalliberalisme), also known as new liberalism in the United Kingdom, modern liberalism, or simply liberalism in the contemporary United States, left-liberalism ...

policies under the

Third Way The Third Way is a centrist political position that attempts to reconcile right-wing and left-wing politics by advocating a varying synthesis of centre-right economic policies with centre-left social policies. The Third Way was born from a ...

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

National Party of Suriname The National Party of Suriname ( nl, 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, ...

(NPS) that historically represented the

Afro-Surinamese Afro-Surinamese are the inhabitants of Suriname of Sub-Saharan African ancestry. They are descended from enslaved Africans brought to work on sugar plantations. Many of them escaped the plantations and formed independent settlements together, be ...

community.

Chan Santokhi Chandrikapersad "Chan" Santokhi ( Sarnami: चान संतोखी; ; born 3 February 1959) is a Surinamese politician and former police officer who is the 9th president of Suriname, since 2020. After winning the 2020 elections, 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 Ramdien Sardjoe (born 10 October 1935) is a Surinamese politician and served as Vice President of Suriname from 2005 to 2010. He is a member of the Progressive Reform Party (VHP). He was born in the District of Suriname. Before vice presidenc ...

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 ( nl, President van de Republiek 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 ( ...

. The party has been part of seven government coalitions, in the periods of: 1958–1963 (5 years), 1963–1967 (4 years), 1969–1973 (4 years), 1987–1991 (4 years), 1991–1996 (5 years), 2000–2005 (5 years) and 2005–2010 (5 years); a total of 32 years. In 2020, the party formed a coalition government with the

General Liberation and Development Party The General Liberation and Development Party ( nl, Algemene Bevrijdings- en Ontwikkelingspartij, ABOP) is a political party in Suriname, founded and chaired by ex-rebel leader Ronnie Brunswijk in 1990 after several members of the BEP were expell ...

led by

Ronnie Brunswijk Ronnie Brunswijk (; born 7 March 1961) is a Surinamese politician, businessman, footballer, convicted drug trafficker, former rebel leader, and the current Vice President of Suriname. Brunswijk served in the early 1980s as the personal bodyguard ...

, 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 Jagernath Lachmon, also Jaggernath Lachmon, (21 September 1916 – 19 October 2001) was a Surinamese politician. He was one of the founders of the Progressive Reform Party (VHP), an Indo-Surinamese party founded in 1947 of which he served as Pre ...

*19 October 2001 - 23 December 2001: *23 December 2001 - 3 July 2011:

Ramdien Sardjoe Ramdien Sardjoe (born 10 October 1935) is a Surinamese politician and served as Vice President of Suriname from 2005 to 2010. He is a member of the Progressive Reform Party (VHP). He was born in the District of Suriname. Before vice presidency ...

*3 July 2011 – present:

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 political parties Social democratic parties in South America Political parties established in 1949 1949 establishments in South America