Alliance for Progressives

{{Infobox political party

| name = Alliance for Progressives

| colorcode = {{party colour|Alliance for Progressives}}

| logo = Logo of the Alliance for Progressives.svg

| foundation = 28 October 2017

| abbreviation = AP

| split = Botswana Movement for Democracy

| leader = Ndaba Gaolathe

| ideology = Social liberalism
Civic nationalism[https://africaelects.com/botswana/ Botswana] Africa Elects

| position = Centre{{Cite journal |last=Brown |first=Chris |date=3 July 2020 |title=Botswana Votes 2019: Two-Party Competition and the Khama Factor |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/03057070.2020.1778901?needAccess=true&role=button |journal=Journal of Southern African Studies |volume=46 |issue= 4|pages=721 |doi=10.1080/03057070.2020.1778901 |bibcode=2020JSAfS..46..703B |via=Taylor & Francis|url-access=subscription }}

| national = Umbrella for Democratic Change

| slogan = Tswelelopele Ya Botlhe

| seats1_title = National Assembly

| seats1 = {{Composition bar|6|61|{{party colour|Alliance for Progressives}}}}

| seats2_title = Pan African Parliament

| seats2 = {{Composition bar|0|5|{{party colour|Alliance for Progressives}}}}

| country = Botswana

| website = {{URL|https://www.ap.org.bw/}}

}}

The Alliance for Progressives is a social-liberal political party in Botswana.

History

In July 2017 the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) president Ndaba Gaolathe and five other members of the party's executive were expelled from the party.[http://country.eiu.com/article.aspx?articleid=1655935149 BMD splits and Alliance for Progressives is born] The Economist Intelligence Unit, 27 September 2017 As a result, Gaolathe set up a new leadership committee, which was later transformed into a breakaway party, the Alliance for Progressives. The new party was formally established on 28 October 2017 with Gaolathe as leader and Wynter Mmolotsi as deputy president.[https://allafrica.com/stories/201710300228.html Alliance for Progressives Launches] Botswana Daily News, 29 October 2017 Six sitting MPs joined the party, although Haskins Nkaigwa later returned to the UDC,[https://www.thepatriot.co.bw/news/item/6741-ap-loses-nkaigwa,-gains-monageng.html AP loses Nkaigwa, gains Monageng] The Patriot, 6 March 2019 leaving it with five seats going into the 2019 general elections.[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/10/21/botswanas-ruling-party-has-been-power-years-that-could-change-this-week/ Botswana’s ruling party has been in power 50 years. That could change this week.] The Washington Post, 21 October 2019

The elections saw the party receive 5% of the vote, finishing third behind the Botswana Democratic Party and the Umbrella for Democratic Change in terms of popular vote share. However, it only retained a single seat, with Mmolotsi winning in the Francistown South constituency.

The party joined the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) alliance ahead of the 2024 general elections. Although the party only marginally increased its vote share to 6%, it won six seats, with the UDC securing a majority in the National Assembly.