Brotherhood and Unity in Politics

It was originally founded as the Bush Negro Unity Party (Dutch: Bosnegers Eenheid Partij) to represent the Maroon community in interior areas of the country^[2] and was renamed in 1987.^[3] It turned its focus away from the promotion of a specific ethnicity's interests, although it still enjoys popularity among the Maroon community.^[4]

The party did not participate in the elections of 1987, because the Surinamese Interior War made it difficult to access their members in the interior.^[1]

At the 2005 legislative election, the party was part of the "A-Combination",^[1] an alliance that won 7.5% of the popular vote and five out of 51 seats in the National Assembly.^[5]

In 2012, there was an internal struggle within the party. The party was part of the A-Combination, a union of all Maroon parties, but wanted to leave the alliance, however deputies Diana Pokie and Waldie Adjaiso opposed the suggestion causing a split within the party. In April 2012, BEP refused to support the Amnesty Law which would grant the suspects in the December Murders, including Dési Bouterse, immunity.^[6] In May 2012, the two ministers of the BEP were dismissed by Bouterse.^[7] Caprino Alendy who had been the chairperson since 1987 stepped down to be replaced by Celsius Waterberg [nl].^[8]

In 2018, Ronny Asabina [nl] was elected as the Chairperson of the party.^[9] In the 2020 elections, the BEP won 2 seats.^[10] It contested in only 6 of the districts, and did not run in Nickerie, Commewijne, Coronie and Saramacca. The BEP is not part of the 2020 coalition.^[11]