Freedom Front Plus

Freedom Front Plus
Vryheidsfront Plus
Leader Pieter Mulder
Chairperson Pieter Groenewald
Founded 1 March 1994 (1994-03-01)
Headquarters Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Ideology Afrikaner nationalism,
Christian democracy,
Economic liberalism,
Social conservatism
Political position Right-wing
National affiliation Collective for Democracy
International affiliation Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization
Colours Green and Dark orange
National Assembly seats
4 / 400
NCOP seats
0 / 90
Website
www.vryheidsfront.co.za
Politics of South Africa
Political parties
Elections

The Freedom Front Plus (FF+; Afrikaans: Vryheidsfront Plus, VF+) is a national South African political party that was formed (as the Freedom Front) in 1994. It is led by Dr. Pieter Mulder. Current policy positions include amending affirmative action and land reform to protect the interests of Afrikaners.[1]

Foundation and Early Years

Map showing the party with the largest number of votes in each voting district in the 2009 election of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature. African National Congress Democratic Alliance Inkatha Freedom Party Congress of the People Freedom Front Plus
The Volkstaat as proposed by Freedom Front[2]

The Freedom Front was founded on 1 March 1994 by members of the Afrikaner community under Constand Viljoen. Viljoen registered the Freedom Front with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on 4 March 1994 to take part in the April 1994 general elections. (This date has also been 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 would take part in the elections.

In the election, under the leadership of General Viljoen, the Freedom Front received 2.2% of the national vote (with 424,555 votes cast) and nine seats in the National Assembly. The party performed especially well in the northern parts of the country, earning 4-6% of the votes in the Northern Cape, Free State, North West, Gauteng and Mpumalanga. In the 1999 election their support dropped to 0.8% (127,217 votes cast) with three seats in the National Assembly and between 1-2% in their stronghold provinces. In 2001, Viljoen handed over the leadership of the Freedom Front to Dr. Pieter Mulder.

Formation of the Freedom Front Plus

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. Later, also the Federal Alliance joined the VF+/FF+.

In the 2004 general election, support for the Freedom Front rose slightly to 0.89% (139,465 votes cast). The party won one seat in most of the provincial legislatures, and four seats in the National Assembly.

In the 2006 municipal elections, the Freedom Front Plus received 1% of the popular vote (252,253 votes cast).

In the 2009 general election, the party received 0.83% (146,796 votes cast) and retained its four seats in the National Assembly but losing its seats in the provincial legislatures of North West, Mpumalanga and Northern Cape. The party also enjoyed a landslide win in the Afrikaner enclave Orania.[3] After the elections, the Freedom Front's leader Pieter Mulder was appointed as Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries by the new President Jacob Zuma.

In the 2014 general election, the FF+ increased its vote slightly to 0.9%. It retained its 4 MPs, but also regained a seat in the North West. The party also once again won overwhelmingly in Orania.

Leaders

No. Image Name Term start Term end Notes
1 Constand Viljoen 1 March 1994 26 June 2001 Chief of the South African Army (1976 – 1980)
Chief of the South African Defence Force (1980 – 1985)
2 Pieter Mulder 26 June 2001 Incumbent Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (2009–2014)

Election results

National elections

Election Votes % Seats
2014[4] 165,715 0.90 4
2009 146,796 0.83 4
2004 139,465 0.89 4
1999 127,217 0.80 3
1994 424,555 2.17 9

Provincial elections

Election Eastern Cape Free State Gauteng Kwazulu-Natal Limpopo Mpumalanga North-West Northern Cape Western Cape
% Seats % Seats % Seats % Seats % Seats % Seats % Seats % Seats % Seats
2014[4] 0.31% 0/63 2.10% 1/30 1.20% 1/73 0.20% 0/80 0.69% 0/49 0.82% 0/30 1.72% 1/33 1.09% 0/30 0.55% 0/42
2009 0.20% 0/63 2.01% 1/30 1.63% 1/73 0.17% 0/80 0.61% 0/49 0.89% 0/30 1.81% 0/33 1.24% 0/30 0.43% 0/42
2004 0.26% 0/63 2.47% 1/30 1.34% 1/73 0.28% 0/80 0.60% 0/49 1.24% 1/30 1.32% 1/33 1.55% 1/30 0.62% 0/42
1999 0.33% 0/63 2.11% 1/30 1.25% 1/73 0.23% 0/80 0.65% 0/49 1.70% 1/30 1.38% 1/33 1.66% 1/30 0.40% 0/42
1994 0.80% 0/56 6.03% 2/30 6.17% 5/86 0.51% 0/81 2.15% 1/40 5.66% 2/30 4.63% 1/30 5.97% 2/30 2.06% 1/42

Municipal elections

Election Votes %
2011 120,519 0.5%
2006 252,253 1%
2000 0.1%
1995-96 230 845 2.7%

See also

References

External links

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