Six political parties in Suriname will sign the governing agreement on Sunday evening that should form the basis for the new government of Jennifer Geerlings-Simons. She succeeded Desi Bouterse last year as chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP).
Although the election result is not yet final, the NDP states that it has won the elections. The NDP is provisionally on eighteen seats, while the Progressive Reform Party (VHP) of President Chan Santokhi remains stuck on 17 seats.
Simons has succeeded in forming a broad coalition that can count on a two-thirds majority in The National Assembly (DNA). The NDP, National Party Suriname (NPS), General Liberation and Development Party (ABOP), Pertjajah Luhur (PL), Brotherhood and Unity in Politics (BEP) and Alternative 2020 (A20) together form that majority.
The six intended governing parties will soon have 34 seats, just enough to elect a president and vice president. The governing agreement they will ratify on Sunday has no formal status. It confirms agreements on policy and the filling of ministerial posts and other important positions.
All parties were given permission by their members to participate. Also, intended vice president Gregory Rusland, chairman of the NOS. His party congress gave him permission on Sunday and thus ignores the fierce criticism of former president Ronald Venetiaan and other party dignitaries on the cooperation.
President Santokhi does not yet seem to accept the outcome of the elections. “This election does not yet have a winner,” he said on Friday at a press conference where he warned the six parties against excluding parts of society by the new government. He emphasized that he made those statements as president and not as VHP chairman.
Bouterse’s widow to parliament
The NPD participated for the first time without founder Desi Bouterse. The 71-year-old Simons succeeded him last year, after Bouterse went into hiding after his conviction for the December murders. Bouterse died in December. The new party leader mainly does not want to pay too much attention to her predecessor.
Ingrid Bouterse, the widow of Desi Bouterse, was a list pusher on the list of candidates of the NDP. Thanks to 6,500 preference votes, she can now take a seat in parliament. She has indicated that she aspires to a ministerial post, but did not want to reveal which department she prefers.