The party was founded in 1981 as a breakaway from the left-wing Popular Unity Movement (MUP) by members who disagreed with MUP leader Ahmed Ben Salah's policy to boycott elections.[2] In 1983, the government of Mohammed Mzali legalised two moderate oppositional parties, including the PUP.[3]
Following the elections of 1999, the PUP had seven members in the Tunisian parliament. At the 2004 legislative elections, the party won 3.6% of the popular vote and 11 out of 189 seats. The same day, its candidate Mohamed Bouchiha [fr], won 3.8% at the presidential elections. In 2006, the PUP tried to form an alliance with three other minor oppositional parties, the Social Liberal Party (PSL), the Unionist Democratic Union (UDU) and the Green Party for Progress (PVP). However, the alliance quickly collapsed when some of the participants were accused of pursuing particular interests rather than unity of the opposition.[5] At the 2009 legislative elections, the PUP won 3.4% of the popular vote and 12 out of 214 seats.
