Progressive Reform Party (Suriname)

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Progressive Reform Party Vooruitstrevende Hervormings Partij (Dutch) वूरुइत्स्त्रेवेन्दे हेर्वोर्मिङ्स पर्तिज (Sarnami Hindustani)
Abbreviation	VHP
Chairman	Chan Santokhi
Founded	January 1949
Merger of	Muslim Party Hindostaans-Javaanse Political Party Surinamese Hindu Party
Ideology	Social democracy Third Way Civic nationalism Progressivism[citation needed] Historical: Indo-Surinamese civil rights Javanese Surinamese civil rights Minority religious rights
Political position	Centre to centre-left
Seats in the National Assembly	20 / 51
Website
vhp.sr
Politics of Suriname Political parties Elections

The Progressive Reform Party (Dutch: Vooruitstrevende Hervormings Partij, VHP; Sarnami Hindustani: वूरुइत्स्त्रेवेन्दे हेर्वोर्मिङ्स पर्तिज or प्रगतिशील सुधार दल, Pragatisheel Sudhaar Dal),^[a] is a political party in Suriname. It was originally founded in January 1949 as a merger of three parties to represent the Indo-Surinamese community. The party occupies a position straddling the political centre^{[citation needed]} and centre-left^{[citation needed]}, advocating for a combination of social-democratic^{[citation needed]} and social-liberal^{[citation needed]} policies under the Third Way^{[citation needed]} philosophy. During the party's history it frequently allied itself with the National Party of Suriname (NPS) that historically represented the Afro-Surinamese community.

Chan Santokhi is the chairman of the party since 3 July 2011. The VHP is a multi-ethnic party and is primarily supported by Indo-Surinamese. Previous chairman Ram Sardjoe holds the title of honorary chairman. After the 2020 parliamentary elections, the Progressive Reform Party is the biggest political party in Suriname. Chan Santokhi became the new President of Suriname.^[1]

The party has been part of seven government coalitions, in the periods of: 1958–1963 (five years), 1963–1967 (four years), 1969–1973 (four years), 1987–1991 (four years), 1991–1996 (five years), 2000–2005 (five years) and 2005–2010 (five years); a total of 32 years. In 2020, the party formed a coalition government with the General Liberation and Development Party led by Ronnie Brunswijk, the new Vice President of Suriname.^[2]

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