Suriname - 2010 General Election
Suriname is a constitutional democracy, with a president elected by the unicam eral National Assembly or by the larger United People's Assembly. The population is approximately 493,000. Elections are a mechanism for parties to redistribute the wealth they have accumulated to their patrons. There were no reports of political prisoners or detainees. The National Assembly elected former military leader Desire Bouterse as president in July. The parliament elected a convicted drug trafficker facing trial for the deaths of 15 people as president of the South American nation.
Elections of May 25, 2010 were won by the alliance "Mega Combinatie", made up of the NDP of Bouterse (National Democratic Party), the KTPI (Kerikanan Tulodo Pranatan Ingit, Party for National Unity and Solidarity) Former president Jules Wijdenbosch and a small party hindoustaniavec 23 seats (+8), of which 18 for the only NDP. In spite of the recent break with the Javanese party of Paul Somorhardjo (6 deputies), the President still had a comfortable majority in the Assembly thanks to the rallying of the black-maroon parties of the AC, with 7 seats (+3, And in particular +2 for the ABOP of Ronnie Brunswijk).
The trial of Desi Bouterse and 24 co-defendants for the December 1982 murder of fifteen political opponents began on 30 November 20007. Bouterse was expected by many to attempt to derail the trial through fomenting unrest and violence. The December Murders Trial began hearing witnesses in the beginning of 2008. The trial was proceeding slowly.
Some media members continued to practice occasional self-censorship. This was ue to a history of intimidation and reprisals by certain elements of the former mili ary leadership or a response to pressure applied by senior government officials and mportant community leaders on journalists who published negative stories about he administration. In addition many news outlets were affiliated with particular political parties, which discouraged journalists from reporting on some news items.
By February 2010 Suriname's political parties were entering the home stretch of negotiations, as parties and formal coalitions must register with the Central Polling Authority prior to the March 16-21 deadline in order to participate in the May 25 national elections. The public is bombarded by almost daily speculation and announcements related to the composition, dissensions, break-ups, and partnering among the parties within the three current coalitions (New Front, Mega-Combination, and Midden Blok).
There are some 40-50 political parties in Suriname, but fewer than 25 meet the minimum size to participate in the elections. For many, whom they choose to partner with before and after the upcoming elections will determine how many National Assembly seats they get, and whether they are a member of the ruling coalition. Because parties and coalitions in Suriname are based little on belief systems, political relationships can easily morph into unexpected alliances. Where the parties and coalitions stand in their partnerships can and is evolving quickly.
In Suriname, politics are personal, and coalitions are often formed and dissolved based on personal relationships and/or feuds rather than on political platforms. Suriname's electoral system assigns National Assembly seats on a proportional basis (Reftel), so larger coalitions have the advantage in capturing National Assembly seats. Formal registration of parties and coalitions to participate in the election occured March 16-21, 2010, at the Central Polling Authority.
After coalitions are registered, and even after the elections, adjustments can be made on which parties would cooperate with whom to form the next government. As parties and coalitions count their Assembly seats, they would decide how to divide the spoils. In the past, entire parties had forsaken their coalition allegiances to join another coalition. In one case, a group of newly seated National Assembly members crossed their own party line to join in forming the government with another coalition.
In 2005, when the National Democratic Party (NDP), led by Desire Bouterse, ran solo for the National Assembly, it landed the most National Assembly seats of any single party -- 15. In preparation for 2010, the NDP took to heart the lesson that the proportional seat assignment system favors larger coalitions and formed the Mega-Combination Coalition. That is now the largest of the formal political coalitions, including the Democratic National Platform 2000 (DNP-2000), New Suriname (NS), Kerukunan Tulodo Pernatan Inggil (KTPI), Pendawa Lima (PeLi), Party Pembangungan Rakjat Suriname (PPRS), and Progressive Laborers and Agrarians Union (PALU). The Mega-Combination supplanted the main 2005 opposition coalition, the People's Alliance for Improvement (VVV).
Desir Bouterse, former military dictator and current chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and the Mega-Combination coalition of political parties, announced on August 28, 2009 that he wants to be the next president of Suriname. Given Bouterse's well-known aspirations, what made this announcement surprising was how early it was made in the electoral process. There are various interpretations of Bouterse's move, including that it was to quell internal fighting among political leaders of the Mega-Combination members on who would be president.
Bouterse said he would like to serve one term as president, after which he will let the "youth" within his party take over the reins of leadership. Press accounts have interpreted this statement to specifically refer to Andre Misiekaba (a current NDP member of the National Assembly) and Melvin Bouva (a former CARICOM Youth Ambassador and new member of the NDP).
Parliament elected former dictator Desi Bouterse after he secured 36 votes from the 51-member lawmaking body. He still faces trial in his country for his alleged role in executing 15 political opponents in 1982 when he ruled the country. Bouterse seized power in 1980 and ruled until 1987. He briefly seized power again 1990.
President Desi Bouterse was convicted in absentia by a court in the Netherlands of drug trafficking in 1999. He denies the charges. In 2013, his son Dino was arrested in Panama on US charges of importing more than 5 kgs (11 lbs) of cocaine into the United States. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison after admitting to drug trafficking and firearms charges, as well as trying to offer a home base to Lebanese paramilitary group Hezbollah.
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