Editing Natural Law Party (section)

==National branches==
The Natural Law Party was reported to be active in 74 countries<ref name=Statesman/> including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom and the United States.

===Australia===
In 1993, [[Bevan Morris]] campaigned for a seat in a district in [[Division of Boothby|suburban Adelaide]] for the [[Australian House of Representatives]] on the NLP ticket.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia/1993/1993repssa.txt |title=Commonwealth of Australia: Legislative Election of 13 March 1993 |editor-last=Carr |editor-first=Adam |publisher=Psephos |access-date=16 December 2009}}</ref> The party contested several federal and state elections between 1990 and 1998.{{citation needed|date=October 2012}}

===Canada===
{{Main|Natural Law Party of Canada}}
The Natural Law Party was active in the Canadian federal elections of 1993, 1997 and 2000 and in provincial elections in Ontario and Quebec during this period; it was deregistered in 2003.<ref name="Cowan/Bromley"/>

===Croatia===
In [[Croatia]], a party member was elected to a regional assembly in 1993.<ref name="The Times" />

===France===
Benoît Frappé of France was the party's candidate for the [[European Parliament]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Katherine McGill |title=Micro-parties flourish under election subsidy law |date=8 June 2002 |work=The Independent |location=London, UK |page=13}}</ref>

===India===
The Natural Law Party in India is known as the Ajeya Bharat Party (AJBP) or Invincible India Party.<ref name= Mian /> It promotes a Vedic way of life.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Alka Lahori Handoo |title=Rising concern over proliferation of parties in India |date=8 September 1999 |work=New Straits Times |location=Kuala Lumpur |page=12}}</ref> It was formed in late 1998 as the political wing of the Maharishi Vedic Vishwa Prashasan (MVVP (Maharishi Global Administration Through Natural Law)), which had nominated thirty-four candidates in the February 1998 parliamentary election from [[Madhya Pradesh]]. The Maharishi was said to be "keenly interested" in building a political base in his native province.<ref name="Statesman">{{Cite news |title=A saintly touch to Madhya Pradesh politics |date=11 November 1998 |work=The Statesman |location=New Delhi |page=1}}</ref> The MVVP received 0.28% of the vote in its first election.<ref>{{Cite news |title=India: Mulayam moves come a cropper in Madhya Pradesh |date=10 March 1998 |work=The Hindu |page=1}}</ref> [[Mukesh Nayak]] left the cabinet and the Congress Party to assume the leadership of the Madhya Pradesh MVVP.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Former MP minister quits Cong |date=4 September 1998 |work=The Statesman |location=New Delhi |page=1}}</ref> For the November 1998 election, the Ajeya Bharat had a list of 100 candidates for the Assembly.<ref name=Statesman/> It received 0.5% of the vote and won one seat in the 320-member state assembly.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/i/india/states/madh1.txt |title=Madhya Pradesh: State election of 25 November 1998 |editor-last=Carr |editor-first=Adam |publisher=Psephos |access-date=31 December 2009}}</ref> The following year, that member switched parties, leaving the Ajeya Bharat with no representation.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Revolt rips BSP apart in Madhya Pradesh |date=31 October 1999 |work=The Statesman |location=New Delhi |page=1}}</ref> In 2008, Nayak left the party to rejoin the Congress Party.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Congress gets jolt in Madhya Pradesh |date=5 November 2008 |work=Hindustan Times|location=New Delhi}}</ref> In 2009, the Ajeya Bharat Party president, Ambati Krishnamurthy, filed a complaint against another party for using a flag similar to its own.<ref>{{Cite news |title=De-recognition of parties: court orders notices |date=20 March 2009 |work=The Hindu |location=Chennai}}</ref>

===Ireland===
The Natural Law Party became active in [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] in 1994 and was based in [[Dublin]]. The party leader was John <!-- he is not listed at [[John Burns (disambiguation)]] and probably not [[WP:NOTABLE]] -->Burns, who was one of nine Natural Law Party candidates in the [[1997 Irish general election|1997 general election]]. In addition, there were four candidates in the [[1999 European Parliament election in Ireland|European elections of 1999]].  Burns endorsed the alternative health system of [[Maharishi Vedic Approach to Health]] and the five European candidates gained about 0.5% of first-preference votes cast.  Burns, who also contested the [[1999 Dublin South-Central by-election]], spent only £163 on his campaign. After 1999, the party ceased to field candidates in Ireland.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.universitytimes.ie/?p=1686 |title=It could be worse: the craziest parties to never get elected |date=22 February 2011 |work=University Times |access-date=26 April 2018}}</ref> The amount of corporate [[political donations]] in 2000 was nil.<ref>{{Citation |title=Why it's a case of lusting at the hustings |date=29 May 2001 |url=http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/features/why-its-a-case-of-lusting-at-the-hustings-346892.html |work=Irish Independent}}</ref>

===Israel===
The Natural Law Party of Israel ({{langx|he|מפלגת חוק הטבע של ישראל}}, ''Mifleget Hok HaTeva Shel Yisrael'') was a minor [[List of political parties in Israel|political party]] in Israel. Its leader was Amihai Rokah.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Optional votes; Diary |date=25 June 1992 |work=The Times}}</ref> In the [[1992 Israeli legislative election|1992 elections]] the Natural Law Party won 1,734 votes (0.06%), and in the [[1999 Israeli legislative election|1999 elections]], won 2,924 votes (0.09%), both below the then 1.5% [[electoral threshold]] required to enter the [[Knesset]]. It has not run in an election since and its website states it has ceased political activity,<ref>{{Citation |title=Natural Law Party |url=http://www.natural-law-party.org.il/ |place=Israel}}</ref> but as of 2018 it is still registered as a party in Israel.<ref>{{Citation |title=List of parties |url=http://www.justice.gov.il/MOJHeb/RasutHataagidim/RashamMiflagot/ChapesMeyda/reShimatMiflagot.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111101135507/http://www.justice.gov.il/MOJHeb/RasutHataagidim/RashamMiflagot/ChapesMeyda/reShimatMiflagot.htm |publisher=[[Israeli Ministry of Justice]] |language=he |archive-date=1 November 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Italy===
The Natural Law Party in Italy (''Partito della Legge Naturale'', PLN) participated in several (both general and local) elections in the nineties. In the [[1994 Italian general election|1994 general elections]] it won 24,897 votes (0.06%) for the [[Italian Chamber of Deputies|Chamber of Deputies]]<ref>{{Citation |title=Election Results |url=http://elezionistorico.interno.it/liste.php?tp=C&dt=27/03/1994&cta=I&tpEnte=A&tpSeg=C&numEnte=0&sut1=&sut2=&sut3=&descEnte=&descArea=ITALIA|year=1994 |type=proportional |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080421165825/http://elezionistorico.interno.it/liste.php?tp=C&dt=27%2F03%2F1994&cta=I&tpEnte=A&tpSeg=C&numEnte=0&sut1=&sut2=&sut3=&descEnte=&descArea=ITALIA |contribution=Chamber of Deputies |place=Italy |publisher=Ministry of Internal Affairs |language=it |archive-date=21 April 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and 86,588 votes (0.26%) for the [[Italian Senate|Senate]].<ref>{{Citation |title=Election Results |url=http://elezionistorico.interno.it/liste.php?tp=S&dt=27/03/1994&cta=I&tpEnte=A&tpSeg=C&numEnte=0&sut1=&sut2=&sut3=&descEnte=&descArea=ITALIA|year=1994 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080421165829/http://elezionistorico.interno.it/liste.php?tp=S&dt=27%2F03%2F1994&cta=I&tpEnte=A&tpSeg=C&numEnte=0&sut1=&sut2=&sut3=&descEnte=&descArea=ITALIA |contribution=Senate of the Republic |place=Italy |publisher=Minister of Internal Affairs |language=it |archive-date=21 April 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The list was on ballot in a few constituencies only. In the [[1996 Italian general election|1996 general elections]] the Natural Law Party ran candidates only in the [[Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol]] region, who won 8,298 votes for the Chamber of Deputies<ref>{{Citation |title=Election Results |url=http://elezionistorico.interno.it/index.php?tpel=C&dtel=21/04/1996&tpa=I&tpe=A&lev0=0&levsut0=0&es0=S&ms=S |year=1996 |type=proportional |contribution=Chamber of Deputies |publisher=Ministry of Internal Affairs |language=it}}</ref> and 5,842 for the Senate (about 1% on a regional basis, 0.2% in the whole country).<ref>{{Citation |title=Election Results |url=http://elezionistorico.interno.it/index.php?tpel=S&dtel=21/04/1996&tpa=I&tpe=A&lev0=0&levsut0=0&es0=S&ms=S |year=1996 |contribution=Senate of the Republic |publisher=Minister of Internal Affairs |language=it}}</ref>

=== New Zealand ===
The Natural Law Party contested New Zealand general elections such as the 1996 election.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://archive.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_1996/pdf/1.1%20Summary%20of%20overall%20results.pdf |title=Results of the 1996 General Election |website=Elections.org.nz}}</ref> It did not win any representation.

=== Trinidad and Tobago ===
The [[Natural Law Party (Trinidad and Tobago)|Natural Law Party]] in [[Trinidad and Tobago]] contested the [[1995 Trinidad and Tobago general election|1995 general elections]]. It received 1,590 votes, but failed to win a seat.<ref>[[Dieter Nohlen|Nohlen, D]] (2005) ''Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I'', pp 641–42 {{ISBN|978-0-19-928357-6}}</ref>

===United Kingdom===
The Natural Law Party was founded in the United Kingdom in March 1992. Geoffrey Clements was its leader.

The UK manifesto, as published on its website, listed five key aspects of a successful government including:<ref name="NLPUK">{{Cite web |url=http://www.natural-law-party.org.uk/UKmanifesto/ |title=UK Manifesto |publisher=Natural Law Party |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101224115250/http://www.natural-law-party.org.uk/UKmanifesto/ |archive-date=24 December 2010}}</ref>
# The development of each individual's consciousness through the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programme
# Reduce health care costs by training the citizens in personal health assessment via self-pulse reading, an aspect of the [[Maharishi Vedic Approach to Health]].
# Maintaining the collective health of the country by creating groups of experts in the TM-Sidhi programme's Yogic Flying technique.
# Bringing the individual and the country into tune with Natural Law so that unfavourable planetary influences are neutralised.
# Assuring that the country's work and home environments support health, and happiness.<ref name =NLPUK/>

In the [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992 general election]], held on 9 April, the NLP contested 310 seats<ref name="Scotland Herald 1994" /> in the UK, garnering 0.19% of the vote, with every candidate losing their deposit for failing to receive at least 5% of the vote.<ref>{{Citation |title=Election |url=http://www.election.demon.co.uk/ge1992.html |year=1992 |contribution=Summary Results |place=UK |publisher=Demon}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfEekpBWrcI|title=Doug Henning - Magician - Natural Law Party (with Yogic Flying) - 1992|date=22 June 2016 |via=www.youtube.com}}</ref> The group announced that they had budgeted nearly £1 million for the campaign.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Election 92: Yogi group plan party |date=14 March 1992 |work=The Guardian |id=Gale Document Number: CJ171101196}}</ref> A significant number of constituencies were contested by nationals of countries outside the UK, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and India, as British electoral law allows any member of a [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] country to stand for Parliament. Among them was Canadian-born magician [[Doug Henning]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=French premier's ouster expected |date=1 April 1992 |work=Toronto Star |page=A.15}}</ref> Despite the "dismal" number of votes, an article in ''[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]]'' of Scotland reported that it could be considered a "reasonable return for a campaign which began only three weeks before polling day."<ref name="Scotland Herald 1994" /> In addition the NLP "notched up" a "headline-grabbing record" when it put forward candidates for all 87 United Kingdom seats in the [[1994 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|1994 European Parliament]]; the first party to do so.<ref name="Scotland Herald 1994">{{Cite web |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/surely-some-mystic-1.500949 |title=Surely some mystic |last=Macdonald |first=Callum |date=26 May 1994 |work=Scotland Herald|access-date=27 March 2013}}</ref>

[[George Harrison]] performed a fund-raising concert at the [[Royal Albert Hall]] in London for the NLP on 6 April 1992, his first full concert in the UK since 1969.<ref name="Israelson A.3" /> According to Harrison, a week before the general election, [[Maharishi Mahesh Yogi]] suggested to Harrison that he, [[Paul McCartney]] and [[Ringo Starr]] stand for election as MPs for [[Liverpool]] as NLP candidates, but they declined.<ref>{{Citation |last=Miles |first=Barry |title=Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kkXNECitum0C&q=maharishi+ashram+scandal&pg=PA428 |pages=429–30 |year=1998 |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=9780805052497}}</ref>

In the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]], the NLP ran 197 candidates for Parliament in the UK, garnering 0.1% of the vote, with every candidate losing their deposit.<ref>{{Citation |title=Election |url=http://www.election.demon.co.uk/ge1997.html |contribution=Summary Results 1997 |place=UK |publisher=Demon |access-date=24 March 2009 |archive-date=25 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525225201/http://www.election.demon.co.uk/ge1997.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The NLP ran 16 candidates in the 20 by-elections held between 1992 and 1997, with every candidate losing their deposit.<ref>{{Citation |title=Election |url=http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by1992.html |contribution=By-elections in the 1992–97 Parliament |place=UK |publisher=Demon |access-date=25 March 2009 |archive-date=20 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720031954/http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by1992.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The NLP ran eight candidates for the 16 by-elections held between 1997 and 2001, averaging 0.10% of the vote, with every candidate losing their deposit.<ref>{{Citation |title=Election |url=http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by1997.html |contribution=Results of By-elections to the 52nd United Kingdom Parliament |publisher=Demon}}</ref> The NLP did not run any candidates for Parliament in the 2001 general election or in the succeeding by-elections.<ref>{{Citation |title=Election |url=http://www.election.demon.co.uk/ge2001.html |year=2001 |contribution=Summary Results |place=UK |publisher=Demon}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Election |url=http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by2001.html |contribution=Results of By-elections to the 53rd United Kingdom Parliament |place=UK |publisher=Demon |access-date=25 March 2009 |archive-date=1 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201183331/http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by2001.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The party, along with its Northern Ireland wing, voluntarily deregistered with the [[Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)|Electoral Commission]] at the end of 2003.<ref>{{Citation |title=Renamed or deregistered parties |url=http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/63167/Renamed-or-Deregistered-Parties.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206030211/http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/63167/Renamed-or-Deregistered-Parties.pdf |place=UK |publisher=Electoral Commission |archive-date=6 December 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

====Northern Ireland====
It contested its first election in Northern Ireland in the [[1994 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom#Northern Ireland|1994 EU elections]]. According to the NLP, they prepared a 70-page report in response to the "1996 Framework Document of the British and Irish governments." The report was presented to leaders in Ireland, Northern Ireland and the U.S. Afterwards, NLP representatives participated in the "special elections to the Northern Ireland Forum", but withdrew before the election.<ref>{{Citation |title=History |url=http://www.natural-law-party.org.uk/misc/hist-history-of-nlp.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331193557/http://www.natural-law-party.org.uk/misc/hist-history-of-nlp.htm |place=UK |publisher=Natural law party |archive-date=31 March 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===United States===
{{Main|Natural Law Party (United States)}}
The Natural Law Party (United States) ran [[John Hagelin]] as its presidential candidate in [[1992 U.S. presidential election|1992]], [[1996 U.S. presidential election|1996]], and [[2000 U.S. presidential election|2000]].<ref name="Cowan/Bromley"/> He was on ballots in 48 states and received 110,000 votes (0.12%) in 1996.<ref name="Nemeth" /> The party also ran congressional and local candidates.  In California, psychiatrist [[Harold H. Bloomfield]] ran as candidate for [[governor]] in 1998.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Minor-party candidates |date=18 October 1998 |work=The Fresno Bee |agency=Associated press |page=A.4}}</ref> It attempted to merge with the [[Reform Party of the United States of America|Reform Party]] in 2000. The NLP in the United States was largely disbanded in 2004. However, some state affiliates, such as Michigan, have kept their ballot positions and allied with other small parties.<ref>{{Citation |title=Ballot Access |date=3 January 2011 |url=http://www.ballot-access.org/2011/01/03/michigan-natural-law-party-keeps-qualified-status-for-2012-election/ |contribution=Michigan Natural Law Party Keeps Qualified Status for 2012}}</ref>