New National Party (South Africa)
The New National Party is a South African political party formed when the National Party pulled out of the Government of National Unity with the African National Congress, changing its name in the process. The name change was an attempt to distance itself from its apartheid past, and reinvent itself as a moderate, non-racial federal party. Its first leader was FW De Klerk, the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize along with Nelson Mandela, for his role in dismantling apartheid. The current leader is Marthinus van Schalkwyk. Recently the New National Party has entered into a participatory agreement with the African National Congress.The 1999 South African general election saw the party almost wiped out nationally, but remain influential in the Western Cape. During the 2004 South African general election, much of this support deserted the party due to unhappiness with their alliance with the ANC, and their portion of the national vote dropped from 6.9% in 1999 to 1.9% (it was 20.4% as the National Party in 1994). With this former governing party now only the sixth largest in the country, questions are being asked about its long term future, and the leadership of van Schalkwyk.
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