Frisian National Party

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Frisian National Party
Fryske Nasjonale Partij
Founded 1962
Ideology Frisian Nationalism
Left-wing nationalist
Social democracy
Federalism
Political position Centre-left
International affiliation None
Seats in the Senate
1 / 75
Website
[1]
Netherlands

This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of
the Netherlands



Other countries · Atlas
Politics portal
Netherlands

This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of
the Netherlands



Other countries · Atlas
Politics portal

The Frisian National Party (West Frisian: Fryske Nasjonale Partij; Dutch: Friese Nationale Partij) is a Frisian nationalist political party in the Netherlands. The FNP is mostly involved in Frisian politics. On the national level it is represented by one senator.

Contents

[edit] Party history

The party was founded in 1962 by young activists of the Frisian movement (West Frisian: Fryske Beweging), which developed in the 19th century.[1] It advocated the importance of the (West) Frisian language, culture and sports. The movement was founded in reaction to the use of Dutch in sermons of Dutch Reformed Churches in Fryslân. The Frisian movement has links with the reformed Anti Revolutionary Party, but in the 1962 provincial elections it claimed that Frisian interests were less important than Dutch national interests.

In 1966, it won its first seat in the provincial legislature and municipal councils. In 1995, it cooperated with provincial parties and the Greens to get a seat in the Senate, which is elected indirectly, in the so-called Independent Senate Group. Between 1995 and 2003, it was taken by a member of the Greens, since 2003 it is taken by a member of the FNP.

[edit] Ideology and issues

The FNP is a left-wing nationalist party, which advocates a federalist political system in which Frisians get more autonomy. It calls for greater autonomy of the region, government use, protection and recognition of the Frisian language and Frisian control over its gas reserves.[2]

[edit] Representation

Since 1995 the party cooperated with several provincial parties and the Greens in the Independent Senate Fraction which had one seat in the Senate. Since 2003 this seat is taken by Hendrik ten Hoeve, a member of the FNP.

The party has five (out of 43) seats in the Frisian provincial legislative. It entered in the formation talks of a new provincial government, but chose to remain an opposition party.

The party has 62 members in 20 of the 31 Frisian local legislatives. It cooperates in the local executive of Wymbritseradiel, Gaasterlân-Sleat, Skarsterlân 2x, Tytsjerksteradiel, Ferwerderadiel, Littenseradiel, Achtkarspelen, Leeuwarderadeel and Dongeradeel. In Wûnseradiel the party supplies the mayor.

On the European level, the party is a member of the European Free Alliance, although it has no seats in the European Parliament.

[edit] Electorate

The party's electorate is limited to Fryslân, where it dominates in the Western and North-Eastern part of the mainland of the province. In the rural Littenseradiel the FNP got nearly 28% of the votes and became the largest party in 2003. In 2010 33.9% of the people voted FNP in the rural Skarsterlân.

[edit] Relationships to other parties

The party has good relations with other provincial parties like Party New Limburg with which it together forms the Independent Senate Group.[3] Historically it cooperated very well with the Political Party of Radicals, a left-wing Christian party.

[edit] References

  1. ^ history on fnp.nl
  2. ^ program on fnp.nl
  3. ^ profile OSF on parlement.com

[edit] External links

  • FNP official site
Personal tools
Namespaces
Variants
Actions
Navigation
Interaction
Toolbox
Print/export
Languages