The Democratic Party of Albanians (Albanian: Partia Demokratike Shqiptare; Macedonian: Демократска партија на Албанците, Demokratska Partija na Albancite) or DPA is a political party of the ethnic Albanians in the Republic of Macedonia. The DPA is a merger of the Party for Democratic Prosperity of Albanians (PDPA) and the People's Democratic Party (NDP) which took place in June 1997. The former party was formed in 1994 after some radical members of the Party for Democratic Prosperity, led by Menduh Thaci (Macedonian: Мендух Тачи) and Arben Xhaferi (Macedonian: Арбен Џафери), left the PDP and the latter party was founded in August 1990 as a more radical opponent of the PDP.
After the 2006 elections the DPA entered the government coalition led by the VMRO-DPMNE. DPA returned to opposition after the 2008 legislative early election.
At the legislative elections, 15 September 2002, the party won 5.2% of the popular vote and 7 out of 120 seats. The party lost its status as a government party due to the defeat of the VMRO-DPMNE. At the last legislative elections, held on July 5, 2006, the party increased its support, winning 7.5% of the vote and 11 seats.
In the 2011 parliamentary election, DPA received 5.9% of the popular vote, winning 8 seats. This is a loss of 3 seats from the previous election.
Famous quotes containing the words democratic party, democratic and/or party:
“No one can doubt the purpose for which the Nation now seeks to use the Democratic Party. It seeks to use it to interpret a change in its own plans and point of view.”
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924)
“Lucas: You’re the Democratic nominee for Senator.
John McKay: You make that sound like a death sentence.”
—Jeremy Larner, U.S. screenwriter. Lucas (Peter Boyle)
“We are in a period when old questions are settled and the new are not yet brought forward. Extreme party action, if continued in such a time, would ruin the party. Moderation is its only chance. The party out of power gains by all partisan conduct of those in power.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)