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.