South Africa

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of South Africa

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The Progressive Federal Party (PFP) was a South African political party formed in 1977. It advocated power-sharing in South Africa through a federal constitution, in place of apartheid. Its leader was Colin Eglin, who was later succeeded by Frederik van Zyl Slabbert and then Zach de Beer, but its best known parliamentarian was Helen Suzman, who was for many years the only member of the whites-only parliament to speak out against the apartheid regime.

It was formed in 1977 when a group of United Party members left the Party to form the Committee for a United Opposition, which then joined the Progressive Reform Party to form the Progressive Federal Party.

It drew support mainly from liberal English-speaking whites, as owing to South Africa's apartheid laws, its membership was limited to the country's whites. The PFP was derided by right-wing whites, who claimed its initials stood for 'Packing for Perth', on account of the many white liberal supporters of the 'Progs', who were emigrating to Australia.

Another well known parliamentarian and prominent member of the party was Harry Schwarz who had previously led the Reform Party. He was the chairman of the Federal Executive (1976-79), finance spokesman (1975-91) and defence spokesman (1975-84).

It was ousted as the official opposition by the far-right Conservative Party in the whites-only parliamentary elections held on May 6, 1987.

This electoral blow led many of the PFP's leaders to question the value of participating in the whites-only parliament, and some of its MPs left to form the New Democratic Movement (NDM).

In 1989, the PFP and NDM merged with another small white reformist party, the Independent Party (IP), to form the Democratic Party (DP).

[edit] See also

• Federalism
• Liberalism
• Contributions to liberal theory
• Liberalism worldwide
• List of liberal parties
• Liberal democracy
• Liberalism in South Africa

v • d • e Liberal-leftism in South Africa Apartheid-era political parties and groups South African Liberal Party · Progressive Party · Democratic Party  · Progressive Federal Party · Reform Party · Progressive Reform Party  · Independent Party · Black Sash Post-Apartheid political parties and groups Democratic Alliance  · South African Institute of Race Relations  · Helen Suzman Foundation  · Centre for Development and Enterprise People before and during the apartheid era Alan Paton  · Colin Eglin  · Harry Schwarz  · Helen Suzman  · Zach de Beer  · Denis Worrall  · Wynand Malan  · Frederik van Zyl Slabbert  · Jan Steytler Post-apartheid people Tony Leon · Helen Zille Related articles Liberalism in South Africa