Free Democratic Movement
{{Use British English|date=September 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox political party
| name = Free Democratic Movement
| logo = Logo of the Free Democratic Movement.png
| logo_size = 150px
| leader = Marc Bean
| split = Progressive Labour Party
| abbreviation = FDM
| founded = {{Start date|2020|9|1|df=yes}}
| ideology = Conservative liberalism
Classical liberalism
Subsidiarity
| position = Centre-right
| website = {{url|http://www.fdmbermuda.com|fdmbermuda.com}}
| headquarters = Melbourne House, 11 Parliament Street
Hamilton
| seats1_title = Senate
| seats1 = {{Composition bar|0|11|{{party color|Free Democratic Movement}}}}
| seats2_title = House of Assembly
| seats2 = {{Composition bar|0|36|{{party color|Free Democratic Movement}}}}
| colorcode = {{party color|Free Democratic Movement}}
| colours = {{color box|#2e5c31|border=darkgray}} Green
{{color box|{{party color|Free Democratic Movement}}|border=darkgray}} Gold
{{color box|#b51f2c|border=darkgray}} Red
| country = Bermuda
| blank1_title = UK affiliation
| blank1 =
}}
The Free Democratic Movement (FDM) is the newest of the three political parties in Bermuda. It was founded by former Progressive Labour Party leader Marc Bean in September 2020 to contest the 2020 Bermudian general election on October 1, 2020.{{Cite web |last=Lagan |first=Sarah |date=11 September 2020 |title=Bean on FDM: honesty sets us apart |url=http://www.royalgazette.com/politics/article/20200911/bean-on-fdm-honesty-sets-us-apart |website=The Royal Gazette}} It fielded 14 candidates for the 36-seat legislature, winning no seats and placing second in 4 races, with 5% of the vote.{{cite news|url=https://bernews.com/2020/10/official-list-2020-general-election-winners|title=Official List: 2020 General Election Winners|date=2 October 2020|accessdate=5 October 2020}}
Policies
Bean identifies as a classical liberal.{{Cite web|url=https://bernews.com/2016/08/column-classical-liberalism-political-ideology/|title=Column: Classical Liberalism & Political Ideology|date=30 August 2016|website=BerNews}}
The FDM's policies include:
- Individual rights
- Limited government
- Equality
- Subsidiarity
- Spontaneous order
- Property rights
- Honesty among citizens (aka 'The Golden Rule')
In the area of education, the FDM wants to downsize the Department of Education to improve efficiency, introduce a school voucher system as well as an independent system to monitor the performance of schools, and devolve control of what schools teach to educators.{{cite web |url=https://fdmbermuda.com/wp-content/uploads/FDM-Education-Reform.pdf |title=Education reform|website=fdmbermuda.com |access-date=2020-10-01}}
Among other issues, the FDM wants to abolish taxes on sugar and dividends, and has stated its neutrality to same-sex marriage.{{Cite web|url=http://www.royalgazette.com/politics/article/20200924/election-2020-bean-backs-tax-cuts|title=Election 2020: Bean backs tax cuts | The Royal Gazette:Bermuda News|first=Duncan|last=Hall|website=The Royal Gazette|date=25 September 2020 }}{{Cite web|url=http://www.royalgazette.com/politics/article/20200921/fdm-proud-of-its-big-tent-philosophy|title=FDM proud of its big-tent philosophy | The Royal Gazette:Bermuda News|first=Fiona|last=McWhirter|website=The Royal Gazette|date=21 September 2020 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.royalgazette.com/politics/news/article/20200929/leaders-forum-bean-champions-future-generations/|title=Leaders' forum: Bean champions future generations|website=The Royal Gazette|date=29 September 2020 }}
The party did not have any published activity after the 2020 election until 2024, when leader Marc Bean announced that the party intended to "re-emerge", although he did not commit to leading the party into the next elections.{{Cite web|url=http://www.royalgazette.com/politics/news/article/20240111/marc-bean-vows-rwturn-of-free-democratic-movement|title=FDM | The Royal Gazette:Bermuda News|first=Jonathan|last=Bell|website=The Royal Gazette|date=11 January 2024 }}
In October 2024, Bean stood for the FDM in the by-election for Sandys North, coming in second to Emily Gail Dill, who polled 162 votes, to 108 for Bean, 95 for independent candidate Ci’re Bean, and 91 for Carl Neblett of the One Bermuda Alliance.{{Cite web|url=https://www.royalgazette.com/politics/news/article/20241005/dill-holds-sandys-north-for-plp/|title=It is written: Reverend Emily Gail Dill wins Sandys North|first=Jonathan|last=Bell|first2=Gareth|last2=Finighan|website=The Royal Gazette|date=5 October 2024 }}
Party leaders
| class=wikitable
! Leader ! Entered office ! Left office | ||
| Marc Bean | September 2020 | present |
Election results
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Election ! rowspan="2" |Party leader ! colspan="3" |Votes ! colspan="3" |Seats ! rowspan="2" |Position ! rowspan="2" |Government |
| No.
!% !± !No. of candidates !No. of seats won !± |
|---|
| style="background-color: {{party color|Free Democratic Movement}}" |
| 2020 | rowspan=2 | Marc Bean | 1,384 | 5.37% | New | 14 |{{composition bar|0|36|hex={{party color|Free Democratic Movement}}}} | New | 3rd | {{no|Extra-parliamentary}} |
| style="background-color: {{party color|Free Democratic Movement}}" |
| 2025 | 949 | 3.83% | {{decrease}} 1.54 | 10 |{{composition bar|0|36|hex={{party color|Free Democratic Movement}}}} | {{steady}} 0 | {{steady}} 3rd | {{no|Extra-parliamentary}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://fdmbermuda.com Official website]
{{Bermudian political parties}}
{{Bermuda topics}}
Category:Political parties in Bermuda
Category:Liberal parties in dependent territories of the United Kingdom
Category:Liberal parties in North America
Category:Political parties established in 2020