New Communist Party of the Netherlands
New Communist Party of the Netherlands Nieuwe Communistische Partij Nederland | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | NCPN |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Merger of | Ex-CPN members VCN |
| Headquarters | Haarlemmerweg 177, Amsterdam |
| Newspaper | Manifest |
| Youth wing | Communist Youth Movement |
| Ideology | Communism Marxism–Leninism Euroscepticism |
| Political position | Far-left |
| European affiliation | ECA (2023–)[1] |
| International affiliation | IMCWP |
| Colours | Red |
| Fryske Marren Municipal Council | 1 / 31 |
| Website | |
| ncpn | |
The New Communist Party of the Netherlands (Dutch: Nieuwe Communistische Partij Nederland, NCPN) is a communist party in the Netherlands. The NCPN was founded in 1992 by the former members of the Communist Party of the Netherlands to oppose CPN's merger into the left-wing GroenLinks. These members have been known as "the Horizontals". Through the Stichting HOC (Foundation HOC), the NCPN releases the monthly newspaper Manifest.
The NCPN actively supports the socialist government of Cuba. The party opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq and is against Dutch military intervention through NATO or other military alliances. The party considers itself anti-capitalist, anti-fascist and anti-imperialist. It opposes both the active intervention of the EU and NATO in Ukraine but also the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. It believes that a Leninist view of anti-imperialism is not choosing sides in a inter-imperialist conflict.[2]
The NCPN claims to work to preserve the heritage of the Dutch communist movement through commemoration of events like the February strike, holding that anti-communist laws in Europe and the normalisation of far-right ideas are erasing this legacy. The party also participates in the struggle against discrimination towards women and minorities with a migrant background, and is against homophobia and transphobia.[3]
Although the party only has limited electoral successes to date, it claims not to shun elections and instead purports to work with trade unions and other similar organisations to advance its agenda. According to a party report, "the NCPN participates in elections to the best of its ability" and views "bourgeois representative bodies" as platforms to promote its agenda.[4]
In 2003, the Communist Youth Movement (CJB) was founded as the NCPN's political youth organization. According to a statement from the NCPN after its 7th conference, the CJB contributed to a revival of the party in terms of membership and lowered the average age of its members.[5]
History
[edit]In 1982, a group of members of the Communist Party of the Netherlands founded the newspaper Manifest, out of discontent with the CPN leadership. In 1984 this group founded the League of Communists in the Netherlands (VCN). The CPN dissolved in 1992 in order to make place for a new political party, GreenLeft, an alliance in which the CPN had participated since the 1980s. Subsequently, the VCN, together with many former members of the CPN, founded the NCPN.
In 1999, the local branch of the NCPN in the municipality of Scheemda split from the party and continued as the United Communist Party (VCP), which has since won city council seats in Oldambt and Pekela.
Elections
[edit]The NCPN has participated in elections to the Tweede Kamer, Provinciale Staten and gemeenteraden, but never in elections to the European Parliament. In the period between 1994 and 2002, the NCPN was part of the governing majority coalition in the municipality of Reiderland.
| Year | Lijsttrekker | Votes | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Rinze Visser | 11,630 | 0.13% | 0 |
| 1998 | Engel Modderman | 5,620 | 0.07% | 0 |
| 2003 | Alejandro de Mello | 4,860 | 0.05% | 0 |
| Province | 1995 | 1999 | 2003 | 2007 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | |
| Groningen | 2,955 | 1.3% | 0 | 3,246 | 1.4% | 0 | 2,057 | 0.8% | 0 | 1,230 | 0.5% | 0 |
| Friesland | 1,293 | 0.5% | 0 | 820 | 0.3% | 0 | ||||||
| Overijssel | 530 | 0.1% | 0 | 835 | 0.2% | 0 | ||||||
| North Holland | 2,397 | 0.3% | 0 | 1,302 | 0.2% | 0 | ||||||
| Municipality | 1994 | 1998 | 2002 | 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | 2022 | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | |
| Amersfoort | 679 | 1.4% | 0 | 242 | 0.4% | 0 | 137 | 0.2% | 0 | |||||||||||||||
| Amsterdam | 3,017 | 1.0% | 0 | 968 | 0.4% | 0 | 819 | 0.3% | 0 | 511 | 0.2% | 0 | ||||||||||||
| Bergen op Zoom[a] | 501 | 1.9% | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Breda | 183 | 0.3% | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Enschede | 589 | 0.9% | 0 | 316 | 0.5% | 0 | 482 | 0.9% | 0 | 291 | 0.5% | 0 | 282 | 0.5% | 0 | |||||||||
| Groningen | 501 | 0.6% | 0 | 866 | 1.0% | 0 | 539 | 0.6% | 0 | |||||||||||||||
| Heiloo | 143 | 1.2% | 0 | 534 | 4.6% | 0 | 1,025 | 9.2% | 1[b] | 811 | 7.4% | 1 | 1,164 | 10.4% | 2[c] | 882 | 7.4% | 1[d] | ||||||
| Hoorn | 417 | 1.5% | 0 | 210 | 0.9% | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Lemsterland | 900 | 14.8% | 2 | 738 | 12.7% | 2 | 907 | 15.1% | 2 | 1,038 | 16.3% | 3 | 947 | 15.8% | 2 | Municipality merged to become De Fryske Marren | ||||||||
| De Fryske Marren | Municipality did not exist | 1,174 | 5.7% | 1 | 1,462 | 6.3% | 2 | 1,168 | 4.9% | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Middelburg | 135 | 0.8% | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Opsterland | 311 | 2.1% | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Reiderland | 2,052 | 50.2% | 7 | 1,303 | 35.7% | 5 | 1,150 | 34.1% | 5 | 621 | 18.3% | 2 | Municipalities merged to become Oldambt | |||||||||||
| Scheemda | 695 | 8.9% | 1 | 1,002 | 12.9% | 2 | 110 | 1.5% | 0 | |||||||||||||||
| Winschoten | 390 | 4.0% | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Oldambt | Municipality did not exist | 310 | 2.3% | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| The Hague | 203 | 0.1% | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 8,554 | 10 | 5,995 | 9 | 4,868 | 7 | 3,229 | 5 | 2,678 | 3 | 2,338 | 3 | 2,344 | 3 | 1,168 | 1 | ||||||||
International activity
[edit]The NCPN has participated in the annual International Communist Seminar and the annual International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties.[6] The NCPN also often cooperates with fraternal parties like the Communist Party of Greece, Communist Party of Turkey, Communist Party of Cuba, Communist Party of Belgium, German Communist Party and the Communist Party of Luxembourg.[7]
Notes
[edit]- ^ NCPN and the CJB competed under banner of 'de Vonk' (the Spark)
- ^ The NCPN was rewarded two seats, but only had one candidate on the list
- ^ One seat was lost when one council member switched to Heiloo2000
- ^ Council member Willem Gomes died on 12 september 2018; his successor joined Gemeentebelangen Heiloo
References
[edit]- ^ "European Communist Action's Founding Declaration". 27 November 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ "Political decision. 7th Congress" (PDF). ncpn.nl. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ^ That the root causes of discrimination against women, against people from migrant backgrounds, against people with non-heterosexual orientation, against intersex and transgender people and against other minorities can be removed. This is the society for which the NCPN, together with the CJB, and as part of the international communist movement, is fighting." 7th Congress NCPN – Political Decision (English), Page 39
- ^ "Party building. 7th Congress" (PDF). ncpn.nl. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ^ "7th Congress completed: Militant and united for socialism! | New Communist Party of the Netherlands". 8 June 2022.
- ^ "Contribution of the NCPN to the IMCWP | Nieuwe Communistische Partij van Nederland". 2 November 2022.
- ^ "Dertig jaar NCPN (1992-2022): Gewapend met lessen uit het verleden, strijden voor de toekomst | Nieuwe Communistische Partij van Nederland". 14 November 2022.
