Freedom Front Plus

The Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus or FF+; Template:Langx, VF Plus) is a right-wing political party in South Africa that was formed (as the Freedom Front) in 1994. It is led by Corné Mulder. Since 2024, it is a part of the current South African government of national unity together with the African National Congress (ANC), the Democratic Alliance and other parties.

History

Origins as the Freedom Front (1994Template:Ndash2003)

The Freedom Front was founded on 1 March 1994 by members of the Afrikaner community under Constand Viljoen, after he had left the Afrikaner Volksfront amidst disagreements. Seeking to achieve his goals through electoral means, Viljoen registered the Freedom Front with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on 4 March 1994 to take part in the April 1994 general elections (This date has also been given as 7 March).Template:Citation needed On 12 March 1994 Viljoen handed in a list of candidates for the FF to the IEC, confirming that his party would take part in the elections.

In the election, under the leadership of Viljoen, the Freedom Front received 2.2% of the national vote (with 424,555 votes cast), earning nine seats in the National Assembly, and 3.3% (with 639,643 votes cast) of the combined vote to the nine provincial legislatures. This suggested that many Afrikaners had split their vote. The party performed the best in the rural areas of the former Transvaal and Orange Free State, and was noted by the new deputy president Thabo Mbeki as representing possibly as much as half the Afrikaner voting population in these areas, with the strongest support among farmers and the working class.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Freedom Front support gradually eroded in the coming years, as the party was strung along in ultimately fruitless negotiations with the African National Congress (ANC) to create a Volkstaat making the party lose its importance. It would also receive increased competition from new parties such as the Afrikaner Eenheidsbeweging. In the 1999 election their support dropped to 0.8% (127,217 votes cast) with three seats in the National Assembly and between 1 and 2% in its stronghold provinces. This represented a respectable portion of the Afrikaner vote, but nowhere near earlier levels. The party's support remained relatively stable in all national elections held during the next twenty years.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2001, Viljoen retired and Pieter Mulder was elected as leader.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Formation of the FF+ and early years (2003Template:Ndash2016)

File:Freedom Front old logo.svg

Freedom Front logo between 1994 and 2003

In 2003, shortly before the 2004 general election, the Conservative Party, the Afrikaner Eenheidsbeweging and the Freedom Front decided to contest the election as a single entity under the name Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus or FF+), led by Mulder. Later, the Federal Alliance also joined the VF+/FF+.

Under Mulder's leadership the party's support remained relatively stable.

In the 2004 general election, support for the Freedom Front Plus rose slightly to 0.89% (139,465 votes cast). The party won one seat in most of the provincial legislatures, and four seats in the National Assembly.

In the 2006 municipal elections, the FF Plus received 1% of the popular vote (252,253 votes cast).

In the 2009 general election, the party received 0.83% (146,796 votes cast) and retained its four seats in the National Assembly but lost its seats in the provincial legislatures of North West, Mpumalanga and Northern Cape. After the elections, the FF Plus's leader Pieter Mulder was appointed as Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries by the new President Jacob Zuma.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In the 2014 general election, the FF Plus increased its vote slightly to 0.9%. It retained its 4 MPs, and also regained a seat in the North West.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The party also enjoyed consistent landslide victories in the Afrikaner enclave Orania.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Efn

Along with other parties, the FF Plus entered into coalition with the Democratic Alliance (DA) after the 2016 municipal elections to govern Johannesburg, Tshwane and several other municipalities.

Groenewald leadership and resurgence (2016Template:Ndashpresent)

In 2016, Pieter Groenewald took over leadership of the FF Plus. He oversaw a pivot of the party away from being an exclusive abode for Afrikaners to that of one for all minorities, with a special focus on Afrikaans-speaking minorities.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This was highlighted when the FF Plus and the Bruin Bemagtiging Beweging (Brown Movement) Template:Ndash an interest group focused on Coloureds led by Peter Marais, the former premier of the Western Cape<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Ndash formed an official alliance.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This ultimately led to Marais being elected as the party's candidate for premier of the Western Cape for the 2019 elections.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2019 national and provincial elections

FF Plus voter support increased substantially in the 2019 general election, with the party growing its vote total by 250,000, to 2.38% of the national vote, earning ten seats in the National Assembly. This was more than the nine seats that the old Freedom Front had received in 1994. Additionally, it gained eight seats in the provincial legislatures, for a total of eleven. In the 2014 general election, the FF Plus won seats in three provincial legislatures, in 2019, it won seats in eight out of the nine provincial legislatures. Its new supporters were largely Afrikaners and Coloured voters from the Western Cape who had previously supported the DA.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Following the 2019 general election, the FF Plus won three wards from the Democratic Alliance (DA) in municipal by-elections in the North West Province and continued to show growth in various other municipal by-elections in Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

2021 municipal elections and aftermath

In the run up to the 2021 local government elections, the FF Plus adopted Cape Independence as an official party position. They and CapeXit had a joint election campaign in the Western Cape to highlight the party's stance on Cape Independence. Over 60% of the FF Plus's ward councillors standing in the Western Cape were Coloureds, with Lennit Max being the party's candidate for mayor of Cape Town.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The party claims that their candidates are selected purely on merit in contrast to the DA.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The FF Plus continued their gains in the Western Cape as a result, being in the kingmaker position in over 6 districts.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2022, FF Plus member Manicks Mpunwana became a city councilor in Bela-Bela, becoming the first black South African to serve as a councilor from the FF Plus.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2024 election and Government of National Unity

In the 2024 general election, the FF Plus gave up many of the gains it had previously made against the DA, winning only six seats in Parliament (National Assembly) with 1.36% of the vote.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In June 2024, Freedom Front Plus agreed to join the ANC-led government of national unity (GNU) also known as the Third Cabinet of Cyril Ramaphosa. The leader of the FF Plus, Pieter Groenewald, became Minister of Correctional Services in the new Cabinet.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Following Groenewald's appointment, leadership changes occurred in the party's parliamentary caucus which saw Corné Mulder succeed Groenewald as parliamentary leader and Wouter Wessels succeed Mulder as chief whip.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On 22 February 2025, Mulder was elected unopposed to succeed Groenewald as party leader after the latter chose not to seek re-election.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, Groenewald remained in his ministerial position.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Policies and ideology

FF Plus is a right-wing,<ref name=ideal>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=cfr>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> conservative<ref name="ideal" /><ref name=convo>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=brill>Template:Cite book</ref> political party with its beliefs and ideals largely centred around Afrikaner interests'<ref name="Pumza">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="ideal" /><ref name="klara2">Template:Cite thesis</ref> and Afrikaner nationalism<ref name="Pumza" /><ref name=riaan>Template:Cite thesis</ref><ref name="ideal" /> with an orientation around Christian values.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> With its origins in Afrikaner Volksfront (Afrikaner People's Front)<ref name="ideal" /><ref name="“garethvos”2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and the Conservative Party, FF Plus's position has shifted to being more moderate and populist since its beginning,<ref name="dm3" /><ref name=love>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> particularly under the leadership of Pieter Groenewald, who has campaigned to alleviate issues within both Afrikaner and Coloured communities, particularly within the Cape provinces (Northern Cape, Western Cape, Eastern Cape).<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Within the South African political landscape, the FF Plus is considered further to the right than many other parties, however holds significant vote share with the Democratic Alliance (DA),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="vox">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> many voters of which moved toward the FF Plus at the 2019 election.<ref name="vox" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Both parties' voters also hold some crossover on policy matters, such as Cape independence<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="dm3">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="cape">Template:Cite news</ref> and federalism.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

As of 2021, its stated policy positions include abolishing affirmative action and replacing it with merit-based appointments,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and opposing the proposed expropriation without compensation land reform movement to protect the rights and interests of minorities, especially Afrikaners<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Afrikaans-speaking Coloureds.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The party also supports greater self-determination for minorities throughout South Africa, and has adopted Cape independence as an official party position.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In this regard, the party has put forward legislation in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament (known as the Western Cape People's Bill) calling for a recognition of Western Cape self-determination.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Foreign policy

The party is critical of what it regards as South Africa's contradictory foreign policy under the governing African National Congress (ANC).<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The FF Plus supports the strengthening of relations with countries that "promote self-determination within their own borders",<ref name=":0" /> as well as countries with whom South Africa has strong existing trade ties.<ref name=":0" /> The party has called on South Africa to criticize the Russian invasion of Ukraine and condemn Russia's actions.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> During the Gaza war, the party expressed support for Israel.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Leaders

Party leader

No.		Leader (birth–death)	Portrait	From	Took office	Left office	Duration of tenure
bgcolor=Template:Party color|	1	Constand Viljoen (1933–2020)	File:Constand Viljoen c. 1985.png	National list	1 March 1994	26 June 2001	Template:Age in years and days
bgcolor=Template:Party color|	2	Pieter Mulder (b. 1951)	File:SA Deputy Minister of Agriculture Pieter Mulder.jpg	National list	26 June 2001	12 November 2016	Template:Age in years and days
bgcolor=Template:Party color|	3	Pieter Groenewald (b. 1955)	File:PJ Groenewald (cropped).jpg	National list	12 November 2016	22 February 2025	Template:Age in years and days
bgcolor=Template:Party color|	4	Corné Mulder (b. 1958)	File:Corne Mulder.jpg	Western Cape list	22 February 2025	Incumbent	Template:Age in years and days

Election results

File:South Africa national election 2019 winner by VD.svg

Results of the 2019 South African general election by voting district. Those which the FF Plus won are in orange

These tables show the electoral performance for the FF Plus since the advent of democracy in 1994:

File:RSA 1994 VF.png

Results for the Freedom Front in the 1994 Election

National Assembly elections

Template:Election table |- ! Election ! Total votes ! Share of vote ! Seats ! +/- ! Government |- ! 1994 | 424,555 | 2.17% | Template:Composition bar | – | Template:No2 |- ! 1999 | 127,217 | 0.80% | Template:Composition bar | Template:Decrease 6 | Template:No2 |- ! 2004 | 139,465 | 0.89% | Template:Composition bar | Template:Increase 1 | Template:No2 |- ! 2009 | 146,796 | 0.83% | Template:Composition bar | Template:Steady ±0 | Template:No2 |- ! 2014 | 165,715 | 0.90% | Template:Composition bar | Template:Steady ±0 | Template:No2 |- ! 2019 | 414,864 | 2.38% | Template:Composition bar | Template:Increase 6 | Template:No2 |- !2024 |218,850 |1.36%Template:Efn |Template:Composition bar |Template:Decrease 4 |Template:Yes2 |} Template:Notelist

Provincial elections

Template:Election table ! rowspan=2 | Election<ref name="dash">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> ! colspan=2 | Eastern Cape ! colspan=2 | Free State ! colspan=2 | Gauteng ! colspan=2 | Kwazulu-Natal ! colspan=2 | Limpopo ! colspan=2 | Mpumalanga ! colspan=2 | North-West ! colspan=2 | Northern Cape ! colspan=2 | Western Cape |- ! % !! Seats ! % !! Seats ! % !! Seats ! % !! Seats ! % !! Seats ! % !! Seats ! % !! Seats ! % !! Seats ! % !! Seats |- ! 1994 | 0.8% || 0/56 | 6.0% || 2/30 | 6.2% || 5/86 | 0.5% || 0/81 | 2.2% || 1/40 | 5.7% || 2/30 | 4.6% || 1/30 | 6.0% || 2/30 | 2.1% || 1/42 |- ! 1999 | 0.3% || 0/63 | 2.1% || 1/30 | 1.3% || 1/73 | 0.2% || 0/80 | 0.7% || 0/49 | 1.7% || 1/30 | 1.4% || 1/33 | 1.7% || 1/30 | 0.4% || 0/42 |- ! 2004 | 0.3% || 0/63 | 2.5% || 1/30 | 1.3% || 1/73 | 0.3% || 0/80 | 0.6% || 0/49 | 1.2% || 1/30 | 1.3% || 1/33 | 1.6% || 1/30 | 0.6% || 0/42 |- ! 2009 | 0.2% || 0/63 | 2.0% || 1/30 | 1.6% || 1/73 | 0.8% || 0/80 | 0.6% || 0/49 | 0.9% || 0/30 | 1.8% || 0/33 | 1.2% || 0/30 | 0.4% || 0/42 |- ! 2014 | 0.3% || 0/63 | 2.1% || 1/30 | 1.2% || 1/73 | 0.2% || 0/80 | 0.7% || 0/49 | 0.8% || 0/30 | 1.7% || 1/33 | 1.1% || 0/30 | 0.6% || 0/42 |- ! 2019 | 0.6% || 1/63 | 4.0% || 1/30 | 3.6% || 3/73 | 0.3% || 0/80 | 1.4% || 1/49 | 2.4% || 1/30 | 4.3% || 2/33 | 2.7% || 1/30 | 1.6% || 1/42 |- ! 2024<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> | 0.5% || 1/73 | 3.0% || 1/30 | 2.3% || 2/80 | 0.2% || 0/80 | 1.1% || 1/64 | 1.5% || 1/51 | 2.6% || 1/38 | 1.8% || 1/30 | 1.5% || 1/42 |}

Municipal elections

Template:Election table |- ! Election ! Ward + PR votes ! Share of vote |- ! 1995–96 | 230 845 | 2.7% |- ! 2000 | Template:N/a | 0.1% |- ! 2006 | 185 960 | 0.9% |- ! 2011 | 120,519 | 0.5% |- ! 2016 | 229,281 | 0.8% |- ! 2021 | 549,349 | 2.3% |- |}

See also

• Afrikaner
• Cape independence
• Coloureds
• Multi-Party Charter

External links

• Template:Commons category-inline
• Template:Official
• SA Talent
• Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation