The party was established in 1991. Although it refused to join the government formed by
Sylvestre Nsanzimana later in the year, it joined
Dismas Nsengiyaremye's government in April 1992. As a result of its involvement with government, and efforts by associates of President
Juvénal Habyarimana, the party split into pro- and anti-government factions. It joined the
Rwandan Patriotic Front-led government in 1994 after the end of the genocide.
Prosper Higiro became leader of the party in 2001. In the
2003 parliamentary elections the party received 11% of the vote and won six of the 53 elected seats. In 2007 Protais Mitali was elected leader of the party. A dispute over the conduct of the elections led to two MPs and five officials being expelled from the party. The
2008 parliamentary elections saw the party's vote share fall to 7.5% as it was reduced to four seats. Higiro was nominated as the party's candidate for the
2010 presidential elections, receiving 1.4% of the vote. In the
2013 parliamentary elections the party received 9% of the vote, winning five seats. It was reduced to four seats in the
2018 parliamentary elections. == Electoral history ==