Bet-Nahrain Democratic Party
Bet-Nahrain Democratic Party ܓܒܐ ܕܝܡܘܩܪܛܝܐ ܕܒܝܬ-ܢܗܪܝܢ | |
|---|---|
| Leader | Romeo Hakkari |
| Founder | Sargon Dadesho |
| Founded | 1 November 1976 |
| Headquarters | Ankawa, Iraq |
| Military wing | Nineveh Plain Forces |
| Ideology | Assyrian nationalism Self-determination |
| Colours | Blue |
| Seats in the Council of Representatives of Iraq: | 0 / 325 |
| Seats in the Kurdistan Region Parliament: | 0 / 105 |
| Website | |
| www.bet-nahrain.org | |
The Bet-Nahrain Democratic Party (BNDP) (Syriac: ܓܒܐ ܕܝܡܘܩܪܛܝܐ ܕܒܝܬ-ܢܗܪܝܢ, romanized: Gaba Demoqrataya d-Bet-Nahrain) is an Assyrian political party based in Iraq. Founded in the 1970s, its platform emphasizes Assyrian nationalism and advocated for an Assyrian autonomous region in Iraq, which caused them to be put under surveillance from the Ba'ath Party. It has participated in Assyrian politics in Iraq since the 2003 invasion, with varying success in elections, and had continued to advocate for an autonomous Assyrian state in Iraq.
Since 2003, the secretary general of the party has been Romeo Hakkari. Aside from its own personal political activities, the party also established the Nineveh Plain Forces in the wake of ISIS, and joined the Athra Alliance alongside several other Assyrian political parties in 2023. The BNDP has been known to opt its stance towards the Kurdish Regional Government, often in opposition to parties like the Assyrian Democratic Movement who prioritized the Federal government of Iraq. The party is also noted for its affiliation with the ruling Barzani family of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and its relation with the Kurdistan Democratic Party, under the leadership of Hakkari.