Social Democratic Party (Algeria)

The party was established on 2 March 1989 and applied for registration on 19 July, becoming the first party registered under Law 89–11 and the first legal opposition party for over 20 years.[1][2] Its founders were from two main groups, one of lawyers and private sector workers, and the other of intellectuals supportive of social democracy.[2] In March 1990 internal tensions led to the party splitting into two factions, PSD-I and PSD-II. Together the factions received 1.1% of the vote in the 1990 local elections, winning 65 seats and gaining control of two Popular Communal Assemblies.[3] Under pressure from the Ministry of the Interior, the two factions were reunited after a meeting in January 1991.[3]

In the 1991 parliamentary elections, the PSD received 0.4% of the vote, failing to win a seat, although the results were later annulled. It also failed to win a seat in the 1997 parliamentary elections.