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{{short description|Political party in Liberia}}
{{more citations needed|date=September 2017}}
{{more citations needed|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox political party
{{Infobox political party
Line 5: Line 6:
| logo = Logo of the Unity Party (Liberia).png
| logo = Logo of the Unity Party (Liberia).png
| logo_size = 175px
| logo_size = 175px
| colorcode = #026536
| colorcode = {{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}
| chairperson = [[Wilmot J. M. aye]]
| chairperson = Luther Tarpeh
| leader2_title = Senate Leader
| leader2_title = Senate Leader
| leader2_name = [[Joseph Boakai]]<br>([[Vice President of Liberia|President]])
| leader2_name = [[Joseph Boakai]]
| leader3_title = House Leader
| leader3_title = House Leader
| founder = [[Edward Kesselly]]
| leader3_name = [[Alex J. Tyler]]<br>([[House of Representatives of Liberia|Speaker]])
| founded = 1984
| founded = 1984
| slogan = One Nation, One People, With Liberty And Justice For All
| slogan = ''One Nation, One People, With Liberty And Justice For All''
| ideology = [[Neoliberalism]]<br>[[Liberal democracy]]
| ideology = [[Liberal democracy]]<br />[[Economic liberalism]]
| position = [[Centrism|Centre]]
| position = [[Centrism|Centre]] to [[Centre-right politics|centre-right]]
| international = [[International Democrat Union]]
| international = [[International Democrat Union]]
| affiliation1_title = Continental affiliation
| affiliation1_title = Continental affiliation
Line 20: Line 21:
| colours = Green and maroon
| colours = Green and maroon
| seats1_title = [[Senate of Liberia|Seats in the Senate]]
| seats1_title = [[Senate of Liberia|Seats in the Senate]]
| seats1 = {{Composition bar|10|30|hex=#026536}}
| seats1 = {{Composition bar|13|30|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
| seats2_title = [[House of Representatives of Liberia|Seats in the House]]
| seats2_title = [[House of Representatives of Liberia|Seats in the House]]
| seats2 = {{Composition bar|20|73|hex=#026536}}
| seats2 = {{Composition bar|11|73|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
| seats3_title = [[Pan African Parliament]]
| seats3_title = [[Pan African Parliament]]
| seats3 = {{Composition bar|2|5|hex=#026536}}
| seats3 = {{Composition bar|2|5|hex=#026536}}
| website = http://www.unitypartyliberia.org
| website = http://www.theunitypartyliberia.org
| country = Liberia
| country = Liberia
}}
}}
The '''Unity Party''' ('''UP''') is a [[List of political parties in Liberia|political party]] in [[Liberia]] that was started in 1984 by [[Edward Kesselly|Edward B. Kesselly]], also its first standard bearer. Officially founded at [[Buchanan, Liberia|Buchanan]] in [[Grand Bassa County]], the party was established on 27 July 1985.<ref>"UP To Do Formal Launching Tomorrow". <nowiki>[Monrovia]</nowiki> ''SunTimes'', 1985-07-26: 1/13.</ref> The Unity Party participated in the [[1985 Liberian general election|first elections]] after the [[People's Redemption Council|1980 coup]], running against President [[Samuel Doe]] in October 1985. The party has remained active in Liberian politics since and was, until 2017, the ruling party.
The '''Unity Party''' ('''UP''') is a [[List of political parties in Liberia|political party]] in [[Liberia]] that was started in 1984 by [[Edward Kesselly|Edward B. Kesselly]], also its first standard bearer. Officially founded in [[Buchanan, Liberia|Buchanan]], [[Grand Bassa County]], the party was established on 27 July 1985.<ref>"UP To Do Formal Launching Tomorrow". <nowiki>[Monrovia]</nowiki> ''SunTimes'', 1985-07-26: 1/13.</ref> The Unity Party participated in the [[1985 Liberian general election|first elections]] after the [[People's Redemption Council|1980 coup]], running against President [[Samuel Doe]] in October 1985. The party has remained active in Liberian politics since and is the current ruling party following the [[2023 Liberian general election]].


In the [[1997 Liberian general election|elections]] held on 19 July 1997, the UP presidential candidate [[Ellen Johnson Sirleaf]] won 9.58% of the vote. The party won 7 of 64 seats in the [[House of Representatives of Liberia|House of Representatives]] and 3 of 26 in the [[Senate of Liberia|Senate]]. While international observers deemed the polls administratively free and transparent, they noted that it had taken place in an atmosphere of intimidation because most voters believed that former rebel leader and [[National Patriotic Party]] (NPP) candidate [[Charles Taylor (Liberian politician)|Charles Taylor]] would return to [[First Liberian Civil War|war]] if defeated.
In the [[1997 Liberian general election|elections]] held on 19 July 1997, the UP presidential candidate [[Ellen Johnson Sirleaf]] won 9.58% of the vote. The party won seven of 64 seats in the [[House of Representatives of Liberia|House of Representatives]] and three of 26 available in the [[Senate of Liberia|Senate]]. While international observers deemed the polls administratively free and transparent, they noted that it had taken place in an atmosphere of intimidation because most voters believed that former rebel leader and [[National Patriotic Party]] (NPP) candidate [[Charles Taylor (Liberian politician)|Charles Taylor]] would return to [[First Liberian Civil War|war]] if defeated.


Unity Party candidate Sirleaf won the [[Liberia elections, 2005|2005 presidential elections]], defeating [[George Weah]] of the [[Congress for Democratic Change]] (CDC) in a [[Two-round system|run-off]]. The party also won 3 seats in the [[Senate of Liberia|Senate]] and 8 in the [[House of Representatives of Liberia|House of Representatives]]. The merger of the [[Liberia Unification Party]] and the [[Liberian Action Party]] into the Unity Party on 1 April 2009 substantially increased its representation in the Legislature.<ref>[http://www.theliberianjournal.com/index.php?st=news&sbst=details&rid=974&comesOfTheHome=1 UP, LAP, LUP Mergedâ€(sic)¦Ellen Says It’s(sic) A Dream Come True], ''The Liberian Journal'', Jimmey C. Fahngon, April 2, 2009</ref>
Unity Party candidate Sirleaf won the [[Liberia elections, 2005|2005 presidential elections]], defeating [[George Weah]] of the [[Congress for Democratic Change]] (CDC) in a [[Two-round system|runoff]]. The party also won three seats in the [[Senate of Liberia|Senate]] and 8 in the [[House of Representatives of Liberia|House of Representatives]]. The merger of the [[Liberia Unification Party]] and the [[Liberian Action Party]] into the Unity Party on 1 April 2009 substantially increased its representation in the Legislature.<ref>[http://www.theliberianjournal.com/index.php?st=news&sbst=details&rid=974&comesOfTheHome=1 UP, LAP, LUP Mergedâ€[<i>sic</i>]¦Ellen Says It's[<i>sic</i>] A Dream Come True], ''The Liberian Journal'', Jimmey C. Fahngon, April 2, 2009</ref>

⚫
The party lost in the runoff of the [[2017 Liberian general election]] to ex-footballer and previous runoff candidate [[George Weah]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.necliberia.org/results2017 |title=NEC Liberia :: Results 2017 |website=www.necliberia.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014223139/http://www.necliberia.org/results2017/ |archive-date=2017-10-14}}</ref> On 13 January 2018, the party expelled<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42681795|title=Liberia's Sirleaf expelled from her party|date=2018|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-01-15|language=en-GB}}</ref> President [[Ellen Johnson Sirleaf]] from the party for campaigning for and with Weah against her own Vice President, [[Joseph Boakai]], who was campaigning on the party ticket.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42681795|title = Ellen Johnson Sirleaf: Liberia's president expelled from her party|work = BBC News|date = 14 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thenewdawnliberia.com/new-faces-in-up/|title=New faces in UP|date=September 9, 2020|author=E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor|publisher=The New Dawn Liberia|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220428055619/https://thenewdawnliberia.com/new-faces-in-up/|archive-date=April 28, 2022}}</ref>

In 2023, the party won the [[2023 Liberian general election]], defeating the incumbent George Weah by less than 21,000 votes—making it the closest runoff in [[Elections in Liberia|Liberia's electoral history]].

== Party Leadership ==

Former Vice President Boakai remains the Standard Bearer of the Party and the leading opposition contender for the upcoming 2023 Presidential elections. Hon. Boakai was instrumental in the formation of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) that brought together the four largest opposition political parties, the All Liberian Party (ALP), the Alternative National Congress (ANC), the Liberty Party (LP), and the Unity Party (UP) to form an opposition bloc against Pres. Weah's Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).

The Party is constitutionally led by its chairman, Amin Modad, who was elected in September 2020 with over 62% majority after defeating veteran politician Sen. Conmany Wesseh and others. Modad, a former representative to the [[World Trade Organization]], cited his business background as evidence of his suitability for the role.


⚫
The party lost in the run-off of the 2017 presidential and representatives elections to ex-footballer, [[George Weah]].<ref>http://www.necliberia.org/results2017</ref> On 13 January 2018 the party expelled<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42681795|title=Liberia's Sirleaf expelled from her party|date=2018|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-01-15|language=en-GB}}</ref> President [[Ellen Johnson Sirleaf]] from the party for campaigning for and with Weah against her own Vice President, [[Joseph Boakai]], who was campaigning on the party ticket.<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42681795</ref>
== Electoral history ==
== Electoral history ==


Line 40: Line 50:
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! rowspan="2" |Election
! rowspan="2" |Election
! rowspan="2" |Party candidate
! rowspan="2" |Candidate
!Votes
!Votes
!%
!%
Line 50: Line 60:
! colspan="2" |Second round
! colspan="2" |Second round
|-
|-
|[[1997 Liberian general election|1997]]
! [[1985 Liberian general election|1985]]
| [[Edward Kesselly]]
| 57,273
| 11.04%
| -
| -
| '''Lost''' {{Nay}}
|-
![[1997 Liberian general election|1997]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Ellen Johnson Sirleaf]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Ellen Johnson Sirleaf]]
|59,557
|59,557
Line 58: Line 76:
|'''Lost''' {{Nay}}
|'''Lost''' {{Nay}}
|-
|-
|[[2005 Liberian general election|2005]]
![[2005 Liberian general election|2005]]
|192,326
|192,326
|19.8%
|19.75%
|478,526
|478,526
|59.4%
|59.40%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|'''Won''' {{Y}}
|-
|-
|[[2011 Liberian general election|2011]]
![[2011 Liberian general election|2011]]
|530,020
|530,020
|43.9%
|43.93%
|607,618
|607,618
|90.7%
|90.71%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|'''Won''' {{Y}}
|-
|-
|[[2017 Liberian general election|2017]]
![[2017 Liberian general election|2017]]
|[[Joseph Boakai]]
|rowspan=2 |[[Joseph Boakai]]
|446,716
|446,716
|28.8%
|28.76%
|457,579
|457,579
|38.5%
|38.46%
|'''Lost''' {{Nay}}
|'''Lost''' {{Nay}}
|-
![[2023 Liberian general election|2023]]
|796,961
|43.44%
|814,481
|50.64%
|'''Won''' {{Y}}
|}
|}


Line 90: Line 115:
!'''Position'''
!'''Position'''
|-
|-
|[[1997 Liberian general election|1997]]
![[1985 Liberian general election|1985]]
|57,273
|11.04%
| align="left" |{{Composition bar|2|64|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
|New
|{{increase}} 4th
|-
![[1997 Liberian general election|1997]]
|59,557
|59,557
|9.57%
|9.57%
| align="left" |{{Composition bar|7|120|#026536}}
| align="left" |{{Composition bar|7|120|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
|{{increase}} 7
|{{increase}} 1
|{{increase}} 2nd
|{{increase}} 2nd
|-
|-
|[[2005 Liberian general election|2005]]
![[2005 Liberian general election|2005]]
|123,373
|123,373
|12.49%
|12.49%
| align="left" |{{Composition bar|8|64|#026536}}
| align="left" |{{Composition bar|8|64|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
|{{increase}} 1
|{{increase}} 1
|{{decrease}} 4th
|{{decrease}} 4th
|-
|-
|[[2011 Liberian general election|2011]]
![[2011 Liberian general election|2011]]
|226,291
|226,291
|17.76%
|17.76%
| align="left" |{{Composition bar|24|73|#026536}}
| align="left" |{{Composition bar|24|73|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
|{{increase}} 2
|{{increase}} 2
|{{increase}} 1st
|{{increase}} 1st
|-
|-
|[[2017 Liberian general election|2017]]
![[2017 Liberian general election|2017]]
|220,508
|220,508
|14.32%
|14.32%
|{{Composition bar|20|73|#026536}}
|{{Composition bar|20|73|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
|{{decrease}} 4
|{{decrease}} 4
|{{decrease}} 2nd
|{{decrease}} 2nd
|-
![[2023 Liberian general election|2023]]
|237,931
|13.09%
|{{Composition bar|11|73|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
|{{decrease}} 9
|{{steady}} 2nd
|}
|}


Line 128: Line 167:
!'''Position'''
!'''Position'''
|-
|-
|[[1997 Liberian general election|1997]]
![[1985 Liberian general election|1985]]
|57,273
|11.04%
| align="left" |{{Composition bar|1|26|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
|New
|{{increase}} 4th
|-
![[1997 Liberian general election|1997]]
|59,557
|59,557
|9.57%
|9.57%
|{{Composition bar|3|26|#026536}}
|{{Composition bar|3|26|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
|{{increase}} 3
|{{increase}} 2
|{{increase}} 2nd
|{{increase}} 2nd
|-
|-
|[[Liberian general election, 2005|2005]]
![[Liberian general election, 2005|2005]]
|222,705
|222,705
|12.93%
|12.93%
|{{Composition bar|4|30|hex=#026536}}
|{{Composition bar|4|30|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
|{{increase}} 1
|{{increase}} 1
|{{steady}} 2nd
|{{steady}} 2nd
|-
|-
|[[2011 Liberian general election|2011]]
![[2011 Liberian general election|2011]]
|164,851
|164,851
|12.85%
|12.85%
|{{Composition bar|10|30|hex=#026536}}
|{{Composition bar|10|30|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
|{{decrease}} 1
|{{decrease}} 1
|{{increase}} 1st
|{{increase}} 1st
|-
![[2014 Liberian Senate election|2014]]
|47,123
|10.33%
|{{Composition bar|8|30|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
|{{decrease}} 2
|{{steady}} 1st
|-
![[2020 Liberian Senate election|2020]]
|354,898<br/>{{small|(As part of [[Collaborating Political Parties|CPP]])}}
|40.27%
|{{Composition bar|6|30|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
|{{decrease}} 2
|{{steady}} 1st
|-
![[2023 Liberian general election|2023]]
|218,138
|12.04%
|{{Composition bar|3|30|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
|{{decrease}} 3
|{{decrease}} 2nd
|}
|}
{{Notelist}}


== References ==
== References ==
Line 154: Line 222:


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1866394,00.html Weah cries foul in Liberia's presidential play-off], Sam Knight and agencies, ''[[The Sunday Times]]'' Online, November 10, 2005
*[https://archive.today/20070310205730/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1866394,00.html Weah cries foul in Liberia's presidential play-off], Sam Knight and agencies, ''[[The Sunday Times]]'' Online, November 10, 2005


{{Liberian political parties}}
{{Liberian political parties}}

Latest revision as of 20:46, 28 November 2024

Unity Party
AbbreviationUP
ChairpersonLuther Tarpeh
Senate LeaderJoseph Boakai
FounderEdward Kesselly
Founded1984
IdeologyLiberal democracy
Economic liberalism
Political positionCentre to centre-right
International affiliationInternational Democrat Union
Continental affiliationDemocrat Union of Africa
ColoursGreen and maroon
SloganOne Nation, One People, With Liberty And Justice For All
Seats in the Senate
13 / 30
Seats in the House
11 / 73
Pan African Parliament
2 / 5
Website
http://www.theunitypartyliberia.org

The Unity Party (UP) is a political party in Liberia that was started in 1984 by Edward B. Kesselly, also its first standard bearer. Officially founded in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, the party was established on 27 July 1985.[1] The Unity Party participated in the first elections after the 1980 coup, running against President Samuel Doe in October 1985. The party has remained active in Liberian politics since and is the current ruling party following the 2023 Liberian general election.

In the elections held on 19 July 1997, the UP presidential candidate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf won 9.58% of the vote. The party won seven of 64 seats in the House of Representatives and three of 26 available in the Senate. While international observers deemed the polls administratively free and transparent, they noted that it had taken place in an atmosphere of intimidation because most voters believed that former rebel leader and National Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate Charles Taylor would return to war if defeated.

Unity Party candidate Sirleaf won the 2005 presidential elections, defeating George Weah of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) in a runoff. The party also won three seats in the Senate and 8 in the House of Representatives. The merger of the Liberia Unification Party and the Liberian Action Party into the Unity Party on 1 April 2009 substantially increased its representation in the Legislature.[2]

The party lost in the runoff of the 2017 Liberian general election to ex-footballer and previous runoff candidate George Weah.[3] On 13 January 2018, the party expelled[4] President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf from the party for campaigning for and with Weah against her own Vice President, Joseph Boakai, who was campaigning on the party ticket.[5][6]

In 2023, the party won the 2023 Liberian general election, defeating the incumbent George Weah by less than 21,000 votes—making it the closest runoff in Liberia's electoral history.

Party Leadership

[edit]

Former Vice President Boakai remains the Standard Bearer of the Party and the leading opposition contender for the upcoming 2023 Presidential elections. Hon. Boakai was instrumental in the formation of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) that brought together the four largest opposition political parties, the All Liberian Party (ALP), the Alternative National Congress (ANC), the Liberty Party (LP), and the Unity Party (UP) to form an opposition bloc against Pres. Weah's Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).

The Party is constitutionally led by its chairman, Amin Modad, who was elected in September 2020 with over 62% majority after defeating veteran politician Sen. Conmany Wesseh and others. Modad, a former representative to the World Trade Organization, cited his business background as evidence of his suitability for the role.

Electoral history

[edit]

Presidential elections

[edit]
Election Candidate Votes % Votes % Result
First round Second round
1985 Edward Kesselly 57,273 11.04% - - Lost Red XN
1997 Ellen Johnson Sirleaf 59,557 9.58% - - Lost Red XN
2005 192,326 19.75% 478,526 59.40% Won Green tickY
2011 530,020 43.93% 607,618 90.71% Won Green tickY
2017 Joseph Boakai 446,716 28.76% 457,579 38.46% Lost Red XN
2023 796,961 43.44% 814,481 50.64% Won Green tickY

House of Representatives elections

[edit]
Election Vote % Seats +/– Position
1985 57,273 11.04%
2 / 64
 New Increase 4th
1997 59,557 9.57%
7 / 120
 Increase 1 Increase 2nd
2005 123,373 12.49%
8 / 64
 Increase 1 Decrease 4th
2011 226,291 17.76%
24 / 73
 Increase 2 Increase 1st
2017 220,508 14.32%
20 / 73
 Decrease 4 Decrease 2nd
2023 237,931 13.09%
11 / 73
 Decrease 9 Steady 2nd

Senate elections

[edit]
Election Votes % Seats +/– Position
1985 57,273 11.04%
1 / 26
 New Increase 4th
1997 59,557 9.57%
3 / 26
 Increase 2 Increase 2nd
2005 222,705 12.93%
4 / 30
 Increase 1 Steady 2nd
2011 164,851 12.85%
10 / 30
 Decrease 1 Increase 1st
2014 47,123 10.33%
8 / 30
 Decrease 2 Steady 1st
2020 354,898
(As part of CPP) 		40.27%
6 / 30
 Decrease 2 Steady 1st
2023 218,138 12.04%
3 / 30
 Decrease 3 Decrease 2nd

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "UP To Do Formal Launching Tomorrow". [Monrovia] SunTimes, 1985-07-26: 1/13.
  2. ^ UP, LAP, LUP Mergedâ€[sic¦Ellen Says It's[sic] A Dream Come True], The Liberian Journal, Jimmey C. Fahngon, April 2, 2009
  3. ^ "NEC Liberia :: Results 2017". www.necliberia.org. Archived from the original on 2017-10-14.
  4. ^ "Liberia's Sirleaf expelled from her party". BBC News. 2018. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
  5. ^ "Ellen Johnson Sirleaf: Liberia's president expelled from her party". BBC News. 14 January 2018.
  6. ^ E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor (September 9, 2020). "New faces in UP". The New Dawn Liberia. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022.
[edit]
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