Alliance Party for Progress

{{Infobox political party

| name = Alliance Party for Progress

| native_name =

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| logo = Logo of the Alliance Party for Progress.webp

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| colorcode = #0E9345

| leader = Joseph Atherley

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| founders = {{ubl|Joseph Atherley|Lynette Eastmond}}

| foundation = {{start date|2021|12|31|df=y}}

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| ideology = {{ubl|Social democracy|Christian left|Progressivism}}

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| position = Centre-left

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| colours = {{colorbox|green}}{{colorbox|orange}} Green and orange

| slogan = "Download de APP"

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| website = https://appbarbados.org/

| country = Barbados

}}

The Alliance Party for Progress (APP) is a Christian and social democratic electoral alliance in Barbados. It was formed on the 30 December 2021 by the United Progressive Party (UPP) and the People's Party for Democracy and Development (PdP) to contest the 2022 Barbadian general election. It is headed by the leader of the PdP Bishop Joseph Atherley with the leader of the UPP Lynette Eastmond becoming deputy head.{{Cite web|title=New APP in town! PdP and UPP merge {{!}} Loop Barbados|url=https://barbados.loopnews.com/content/new-app-town-pdp-and-upp-merge|access-date=2022-01-18|website=Loop News|language=en}}

History

The United Progressive Party was formed in 2017 and Lynette Eastmond was chosen to lead the new party after much media speculation, concerning the political ambitions of Eastmond herself.{{cite news |last1=Evanson |first1=Heather-Lynn |date=2017-02-09 |title=Eastmond reveals new party |url=http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/93363/eastmond-reveals-party |publisher=Nation Publishing Co. Ltd. |agency=Nation Newspaper |access-date=2018-11-26 }} That same year after discussions with another new Barbadian party called the Citizens Action Partnership,{{Cite web|url=https://www.barbadosadvocate.com/news/two-political-parties-merge-form-%E2%80%98dream-team%E2%80%99|title=Two political parties merge to form 'dream team' | Barbados Advocate}} led by Wendell Callender both parties agreed to merge the CAP into the UPP in December 2017.{{Cite web | title=CAP, UPP to merge -- NationNews Barbados -- Local, Regional and International News nationnews.com | url=http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/108773/cap-upp-merge | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171211162501/http://www.nationnews.com:80/nationnews/news/108773/cap-upp-merge | access-date=2024-12-26 | archive-date=2017-12-11}}{{Cite web | title=Party merger 'no surprise' -- NationNews Barbados -- Local, Regional and International News nationnews.com | url=http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/108913/party-merger-surprise | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180209154112/http://www.nationnews.com:80/nationnews/news/108913/party-merger-surprise | access-date=2024-12-26 | archive-date=2018-02-09}} The UPP later contested the 2018 Barbadian general election the next year but only won 1.3 per cent of the vote losing the one seat of Christ Church West, held by new UPP's member, Dr. Agard back to the Barbados Labour Party (BLP).{{cite news |last1=Mounsey |first1=Colville |date=2018-07-23 |title=New alliance? |url=https://barbadostoday.bb/2018/07/23/new-alliance/ |publisher=The Barbados Today |access-date=2018-11-25 }}{{cite news |last1=Labs |first1=Luova |date=2018-02-14 |title=UPP de ting! |url=https://barbadostoday.bb/2018/02/14/upp-de-ting/ |publisher=The Barbados Today |access-date=2018-11-25 }}

That same election Joseph Atherley of the BLP won back the St. Michael West seat. On 31 May, less than a week after the swearing-in of the new government, Atherley informed the prime minister of his intention to leave the BLP and become an independent parliamentarian. Due to the absence of other non-BLP MPs in Parliament, Atherley was sworn in the next day as Leader of the Opposition.{{Cite web|date=2018-06-01|title=Atherley sworn in as Opposition Leader|url=https://www.nationnews.com/2018/06/01/atherley-sworn-in-as-opposition-leader/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-11|website=NationNews|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107131021/https://www.nationnews.com/2018/06/01/atherley-sworn-in-as-opposition-leader/ |archive-date=2021-11-07 }} He later formed the People's Party for Democracy and Development on 9 June 2018 becoming the official opposition party.{{cite web|date=10 June 2019|title=Barbados' Opposition Leader launches new political party|url=https://news784.com/politics/barbados-opposition-leader-launches-new-political-party/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190611154244/https://news784.com/politics/barbados-opposition-leader-launches-new-political-party/|archive-date=11 June 2019|access-date=11 November 2021|website=News784}}{{cite web|last1=King|first1=Katrina|date=8 June 2019|title=Atherley launches People's Party for Democracy and Development|url=https://barbadostoday.bb/2019/06/08/atherley-launches-peoples-party-for-democracy-and-development/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191207071322/https://barbadostoday.bb/2019/06/08/atherley-launches-peoples-party-for-democracy-and-development/|archive-date=7 December 2019|access-date=11 November 2021|website=Barbados Today}}

On 27 December 2021, Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley dissolved parliament and called elections for 19 January 2022. The next week, on the 31 December 2021, Atherley and Eastmond announced an electoral alliance between their two parties to contest the 2022 general elections as the APP.

Electoral results & performance

class=wikitable style="text-align: left;"
Election ! Party Leader ! Votes ! % ! Seats ! +/– ! Position ! Government
2022 \|Joseph Atherley \| 3,205 \| 2.81% \| {{Composition bar\|0\|30\|hex=#EC2227}} \| New \| 3rd \| {{eliminated\|Extra-parliamentary}}

class=wikitable style="text-align: left;"

Election

! Party Leader

! Votes

! %

! Seats

! +/–

! Position

! Government

2022

|Joseph Atherley

| 3,205