Freedom Front Plus
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| Freedom Front Plus | |
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| Leader | Pieter Mulder |
| Founded | 1 March 1994 |
| Headquarters | Pretoria, South Africa |
| Political ideology | Christian democracy, Republicanism, Classical liberalism, Separatism |
| International affiliation | None |
| Website | http://www.vryheidsfront.co.za/ |
| South Africa |
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The Freedom Front Plus (Afrikaans: Vryheidsfront Plus) is a South African political party that aims to protect Afrikaner interests. The leader is Dr. Pieter Mulder.
The Freedom Front was founded on 1 March 1994 by parts of the white right under Constand Viljoen. On 4 March 1994 Viljoen registered the Freedom Front with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to take part in the forthcoming elections. This date is also given as 7 March. On 12 March 1994 Viljoen handed in a list of candidates for the FF to the IEC, confirming that his party will take part in the elections- one day after he unsuccessfully mobilised some 1500 militant rights for Bophuthatswana in order to assist the homelands ruler Lucas Mangope who was fearing to loose control over his "country" after he had announced that Bophuthatswana will not take part in the election.
In the election in April 1994, under the leadership of General Constand Viljoen, they received 2.2% of the national vote (or 424,555 votes cast) with 9 seats in the National Assembly. In 1999 their support dropped to 0.8% (or 127,217 votes cast) with 3 seats in the National Assembly. In 2001 Viljoen handed over the leadership of the Freedom Front to Pieter Mulder.
In 2003, shortly before the 2004 general election, the Conservative Party, the Afrikaner Eenheids Beweging and the Freedom Front decided to contest the election as a single entity under the name Freedom Front Plus (FF+), led by Dr Mulder.
In the 2004 general election, support for the Freedom Front rose by 0.09% to 0.89% (or 139,465 votes cast). The party has 1 seat in most of the provincial legislatures, and it currently has 4 seats in the National Assembly.
In the South African municipal election, 2006, the Freedom Front Plus received 1% of the popular vote (or 252,253 votes cast).
The Freedom Front Plus is closely associated with the Afrikaner settlement of Orania. Its long-term goal is to establish an independent state for Afrikaners.
The Freedom Front Plus wish to represent the voice of the Afrikaner in all spheres of government. As such it cannot count on the attraction of large number of votes. Instead, it seeks to produce results for the Afrikaner in the way in which they approach the governing party.
It is also looking at ways beyond normal parliamentarian politics to benefit Afrikaners. This forms part of their strategy of being "More than just opposition". One example that the website called SA Talent. The purpose of the website is stated as follows:
"President Thabo Mbeki recently announced that the government intends to source skilled people from foreign countries in order to reverse the downward trend in levels of service delivery. However, there are many skilled South Africans locally and overseas who would be happy to work in their country but are prevented from doing so by affirmative action.
This web site gives an opportunity to these people to record their skills on an easy accessible data base. We will convey the information to the government and personnel agencies on a continious basis."
The FF+ is looking forward to a post-ANC South Africa, when the country in no longer run by a single party, but a coalition of smaller parties, representing specific interest groups.
[edit] External link
- Freedom Front official site
- SA Talent
[edit] See also
- Afrikaner
- Boer Republics
- Orania
- Whites in South Africa
- Homeland
- Home Rule
- Separatism
- Ethnic nationalism
- Home Rule
| Political parties in South Africa |  |
| Parliament: ANC | DA | IFP | UDM | ID | ACDP | Vryheidsfront Plus | UCDP | PAC | MF | AZAPO |
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