Frisian National Party

The Frisian National Party (West Frisian: "Frysk Nasjonale Partij"; _nl. Friese Nationale Partij) is a Frisian nationalist political party in the Netherlands. The FNP only takes part in Frisian politics.

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. [ [http://www.fnp.nl/?skiednis/ history] on fnp.nl] 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 Eerste Kamer, 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.

Ideology and issues

The FNP is a leftwing 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. [ [http://www.fnp.nl/?program/english_version/ program] on fnp.nl]

Representation

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

The party has seven (out of 55) 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 54 members in 21 of the 31 Frisian local legislatives. It cooperates in the local executive of Wymbritseradiel,Franekeradeel,Menaldumadeel, 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.

Electorate

The party's electorate is limited to Fryslân, where it dominates in the Western part of the mainland of province. Its stronghold is the rural Littenseradiel where it got nearly 28% of the vote and became the largest party in 2003.

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. [ [http://www.parlement.com/9291000/modulesf/ga9lfew5 profile OSF] on parlement.com] Historically it cooperated very well with the Political Party Radicals, a left-wing Christian party.

References

External links

* [http://www.fnp.nl/ FNP] official site