New National Party (South Africa)

The New National Party (NNP) was a South African political party that existed from 1997 to 2005. It was the successor to the National Party (NP), which had governed South Africa from 1948 to 1994 and implemented the apartheid system.

Following the end of apartheid and the first multiracial elections in 1994, the National Party participated in a Government of National Unity with the African National Congress (ANC) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP). In 1997, the party, under the leadership of Marthinus van Schalkwyk, rebranded itself as the New National Party, aiming to distance itself from its apartheid past and attract support from a broader range of voters, including black South Africans.

The NNP struggled to gain significant electoral support in the post-apartheid era. Despite attempts to portray itself as a moderate, multiracial party, it was largely viewed as the party of the former apartheid regime, hindering its ability to attract new voters. Its traditional support base among white Afrikaners also declined.

In the 1999 general election, the NNP significantly declined in support. In 2001, the NNP entered into an alliance with the ruling ANC, a move that alienated some of its remaining supporters. Over time, the NNP became increasingly aligned with the ANC's policies.

In 2005, the New National Party voted to dissolve itself, with many of its members joining the ANC. This marked the formal end of the political party that had once been the dominant force in South African politics. The NNP's legacy remains controversial due to its role in implementing and maintaining apartheid.