The Democratic Party (DP), formed when factions from various opposition parties to the National Party (NP) merged, indicates that it represents a coalition of the policies of the National, United and Progressive parties, and outlines its proposed reforms. These include granting the Black population representation on municipal councils on the same basis as the White population. Although the DP was officially launched on 8 April 1989 its history dates back to 1959, when a number of liberal members of the United Party (UP) broke away to form the Progressive Party (PP). The cause of the split was the UP's inability to find a clear-cut alternative to the National Party's apartheid policy. The PP took its stand on constitutional reform, calling for an entrenched constitution incorporating a Bill of Rights, an independent judiciary and for a federal constitution in which the powers of the provinces would be constitutionally protected. It stood for an economy based upon free enterprise.
