Fairfax is no longer Libertarian Party president! (soon)

Day 816, 09:04 • Published in Netherlands Netherlands • by Thomas Fairfax

As committed readers (Swords and Ploughshares hopes there are at least a few) may know, this newspaper tries not to be merely the personal news sheet of its writer. But of course, personal detours are sometimes necessary, and this is one of those occasions.

I became Party President of the Libertarian Party three terms ago. The party I came to was the seventh biggest party in the UNL, and was in the doldrums. It suffered from inactivity under two previous presidents and any idea of policies or an identity had long since failed.

Three terms later the party is the fourth biggest in the United Netherlands, and has been the third biggest. The party’s new icons are well recognised, the newspaper is well read, and the party’s new policies are well known (perhaps infamous is more appropriate). The Libertarian Party has merged successfully with the GVD and has been involved in three previous governments, and has achieved a lot of what was published in the party policies, one way or another.

The party has had successes and its fair share of failures too, and sometimes I feel like I have created a monster by supporting direct democracy in the party (I think our coalition partners can testify to this), but I am very happy with what the party has achieved. I have tried to work for the party first and foremost, but it is alot more difficult than it sounds! None of the reforms I have made would have been possible without all of the active members, so thanks are due to all of them. Thanks are also due to our coalition partners, and also to all of those who helped fight off our PTO attempt in the last election.

I believe that term limits help to preserve democracy, and the Libertarian Party is a party that has always looked to put its principles into action. In short I will not run for a fourth term as party president. I hope that the next party president can lead the party to continued success (and greater infamy) and achieve more than I have!