Popular Democratic Movement

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Popular Democratic Movement
(formerly DTA of Namibia )
Party leader McHenry Venaani
Secretary General Manuel Ngaringombe
vice-chairman Jennifer van den Heever
Honorary Chairman Clemens Kapuuo
founding November 1977
Place of foundation Windhoek
Headquarters Windhoek
Colours) _ _ _
National Assembly Seats
16/96
National Council seats
1/42
Regional council seats
2/121
Local council seats
41/378
Website pdmnamibia.org
Party Vice President Jennifer van den Heever

The Popular Democratic Movement (short PDM ) until November 4, 2017 DTA of Namibia , previously to 1994 Democratic Turnhalle Alliance ( English Democratic Turnhalle Alliance ) is a political party in Namibia , located in the capital Windhoek . It has been the official opposition in the country again since 2015.

Surname

Its original name is derived from the gym where a constitution was negotiated before Namibia's independence from South Africa . The definitive realignment of the party, including a rebranding and a new party name, was announced in February 2015. The realignment was completed on November 4, 2017, including the announcement of a new name.

history

The DTA goes back to the time before Namibia's independence from the South African Union (now the Republic of South Africa). Unlike the ruling SWAPO party , it took a moderate stance towards the colonial apartheid government in South Africa. The DTA was founded as an alliance of eleven different parties as a result of the failed gymnasium conference in November 1977, with mostly smaller parties with a predominantly ethnic orientation being part of the alliance.

Originally, both the NUDO and the RP were members of the DTA. In this alliance, Namibians of European descent as well as of black African and colored Namibians were represented.

In 1991 the DTA first appeared as an independent party, but continued to cooperate with the RP and NUDO. In 2003 both the RP and NUDO broke away from the alliance with the DTA.

Katuutire Kaura was party president for many years until September 7, 2013, while Phillimon Moongo was his deputy. The founding father is Clemens Kapuuo . The chairmanship of the party took over on September 7, 2013 McHenry Venaani . Kaura was expelled from the party on February 3, 2014 for reputational damage and removed from his parliamentary seat, but reinstated on February 12, 2014.

Johan C. de Waal was a founding member of the DTA and was party chairman for ten years until March 28, 2010. He left office and the party at his own request.

The motto is Let us stop the rot (let's stop the rotting).

Content profile

Due to the rather conservative composition of the DTA, more decentralization, more market and trust in the private sector as well as a downsizing of the government are among its strongest demands. In addition to halving the cabinet, the DTA calls for a reduction in defense spending and the use of the funds released to increase state basic pensions. In addition, the DTA emphasizes the existence of peace and security for continuous growth as well as the elimination of poverty and crime as a consequence of unemployment, which in turn has a negative impact on security.

organization structure

The DTA consists of four main decision-making and executive bodies: the party congress, which takes place every three years, the central committee (ZK), which is the highest decision-making body between the party congresses, and the executive committee. This committee assumes the role of a steering committee of the Central Committee. In urgent matters, the executive committee is supported by the so-called management committee, which is composed of the narrower party leadership. A specialty in the organizational structure of the DTA is the chief council. It sends delegates to the congress and is also represented in the central committee. According to the structure of the party, each of the affiliated parties sends four representatives to the Central Committee. The chairmen of the parties are represented on the executive committee.

electorate

As a former alliance between politically moderate whites and traditional groups, the DTA should, according to South African ideas, function primarily as a counterweight to SWAPO. Accordingly, it still bears the character of an anti- Ovambo coalition today , although this is in decline. The party is popular among all minorities, with the exception of the Damara , who have their own ethnic political representation with the UDF .

Geographically, their electorate is limited to the eastern and central regions and the sparsely populated south. In addition, supporters from the traditional white business world also choose the DTA.

Election results

houses of Parliament

Since earlier DTA parties increasingly appeared as separate parliamentary groups , the DTA lost a lot of votes. The parliamentary elections for the National Assembly illustrate this. A small turn against the long-standing trend came with the 2014 election. Five years later, the party now known as PDM was able to achieve the best result since 1994 with around a sixth of the votes and has since been the official opposition again.

General election Voting shares Seats
2019 16.65%
16/96
2014 4.80%
5/96
2009 3.13%
2/72
2004 5.10%
4/72
1999 9.40%
7/72
1994 20.45%
15/72
1989 28.59%
21/72

president

Presidential election candidate be right Share of votes
2019 McHenry Venaani 43,959 5.3%
2014 McHenry Venaani 44,271 4.97%
2009 Katuutire Kaura 24,186 2.98%
2004 Katuutire Kaura 41,905 5.12%
1999 Katuutire Kaura 52,752 9.79%
1994 Mishake Muyongo 114,843 23.66%

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. DTA is looking for a new identity. Allgemeine Zeitung, February 23, 2015. Retrieved on February 24, 2015
  2. ^ DTA now known as Popular Democratic Movement. The Namibian, November 4, 2017.
  3. ^ A b Multiparty Democracy And Elections In Namibia. (PDF; 962 kB) (No longer available online.) In: EISA. Archived from the original on August 10, 2013 ; accessed on April 21, 2010 (English).
  4. ^ Morning news. Hitradio Namibia, September 8, 2013.
  5. February 3, 2014 Morning News. Hitradio Namibia, February 3, 2014 ( memento of August 29, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) accessed on February 3, 2014
  6. Kaura rehabilitated. Allgemeine Zeitung, February 13, 2014. Retrieved on February 14, 2014
  7. Johan de Waal leaves the DTA. In: Allgemeine Zeitung , March 29, 2010.
  8. a b Parties and Party Systems in Namibia. (PDF; 218 kB) In: Friedrich Ebert Foundation . Retrieved April 21, 2010 .