Suriname - 1996 General Election
After over a decade of predominantly military rule, Suriname installed a freel elected Parliament and inaugurated a democratically chosen President in 1991. Since then the Government has made fitful progress in consolidating º: and slow but steady progress toward professionalizing and depoliticizing the military and reestablishing civilian authority over it. In 1992 the Government concluded a ace accord with members of insurgent groups that fought a domestic armed con ict between 1986 and 1991.
Elections were completed on 23 May 1996 without incident and were deemed free and fair by observers from the Organization of American States. The NDP won more National Assembly seats (16 of 51) than any other party in the May 1996 national elections, and in September 1996, joined with the KTPI, dissenters from the VHP, and several smaller parties to elect NDP vice chairman Jules Wijdenbosch president of an NDP-led coalition government. Wijdenbosch formed his Cabinet from members of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and several other political parties.
Former military strongman Desi Bouterse, president of the NDP, did not hold a position in the new Government, but exerted consider able influence through his party role. The Government of President Ronald Venetiaan took positive steps toward reforming the military during 1995 and early 1996, The purging of Bouterse sup: orters, including the armed forces commander in 1995 and the army commander in February, both of whom were reportedly close to Bouterse, extended somewhat democratic civilian control over the military. This positive trend may be affected, however, with the return of the Bouterse-led NDP to government.
The year 1996 marked the first time since independence from the Netherlands in 1975 that one elected government succeeded another in ac cordance with constitutional provisions. However, the Government is still in the process of institutionalizing democratic, constitutional rule. The Constitution stipulates that power and authority rest with the people and rovides for the right to change the government through the direct election by secret vote of a National Assembly of 51 members every 5 years. The National Assembly then elects the President by a two-thirds vote. If the legislature is unable to do so, as had been the case both in the 1991 and 1996 national elections, the Constitution provides that, a national People's Assembly, comprising Members of Parliament an regional and local officials, shall elect the President.
Some aspects of the relationship between the Government and the military remained to be defined. Civilian police had primary responsibility for the maintence of law and order, but they continue to be responsible for some human rights alouse3. The market-oriented economy was largely agricultural, but with an important bauxite and alumina export sector.
The par?iamentary and extraparliamentary opposition criticized the Government freely. Media members continued to practice some self-censorship, because of the re cent history of intimidation and reprisals by certain elements of the former military leadership. The two daily newspapers and most of the radio stations are privately owned. The two television stations and one of the radio stations are publicly owned.
Divisions and subsequent reshufflings of coalition members in the fall of 1997 and early 1998 weakened the coalition's mandate and slowed legislative action.
There are historical and cultural impediments to equal participation by women in leadership positions in government and political parties. In the past, most women expected to fulfill the ro e of housewife and mother, thereby limiting opportunities to gain political º: or position. Participation by women in politics (and other fields), was gener ly considered inappropriate. While women have made limited gains in attaining political wer in recent years, political circles remain under the influence of traditional male-dominated groups.
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