Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy

This new office is located at buildings of the Anton the Kom University and has been renovated recently. NIMD Executive Director Roel von Meijenfeldt referred to this transformation as a symbol for the need to continuously maintain democracy. “Democracy needs continuous attention, it is not a political system that can be implemented according to a blue print. To fulfill the expectations of society in order to prevent a diminishing participation, a continuous adjustment and deepening of democracy is needed.”

On behalf of the sounding board of political parties Mrs Jenny Geerlings-Simons (MP for opposition party NDP), stressed the importance of the Democracy Unit as an active platform where political parties discuss issues of national interest. According to her the multiparty platform within the Unit has made it possible for the Democracy Programme to consolidate in the political arena in Suriname. “Democracy is not a gift, it is something that needs to develop and that is what we are trying to do with all political parties involved in the sounding board of the institute.”

Minister of Internal Affairs and founder of the Democracy programme, Maurits Hassankhan, thanked all people involved in the start-up phase of the programme. Already in 2001, a working group on democracy was founded. With the partnership with NIMD in 2005, the working group finally transformed to the Democracy Unit. “This was not an easy transformation. Of course I have not done this alone, many people with whom I worked have inspired me in this long process and today I am proud to be part of this celebration.”

Previous to the opening of its new office the Unit organized a multiparty meeting about party manifestos. A group of 80 representatives of the main political parties discussed the use of ‘VoteMach’, a new tool to develop party programmes with active participation of their members. The presentation of the tool was enthusiastically received.

The Democracy Programme is a joint initiative of the Unit, UNDP and NIMD. In 2008 the Democracy Unit will focus on the development of a draft law on party financing and the strengthening of the capacity of political parties to develop their own election manifestos for the next elections that are planned in 2010.

- article by Lizzy Beekman political advisor Christian Democrat Party CDA