Union for Democracy and Social Progress (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

The Union for Democracy and Social Progress (French: Union pour la Démocratie et le Progrès Social) is one of the major contemporary political parties in the Democratic Republic of the Congo along with MLC. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous operation in Democratic Republic of the Congo. The party contains the most registered members of any political organization in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as of 2008, with 45 million members. Polls taken over the last decade indicate that roughly 75% of Congolese population self identify as members of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress. Union for Democracy and Social Progress boycotted the polls of the General Election held in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2006, Complaining of fraud. Etienne Tshisekedi, leader of the party, ran for president in the 2011 General Election. The UDPS is an observer member of the International Democrat Union's African branch.