After the internal elections of the United National Congress Dookeran, accompanied by then-Senator Sadiq Baksh, began meeting with the members and supporters of the UNC.

On 23 July 2006 a supporter interrupted the proceeding at the Hindu Credit Union Convention Center and read aloud what later became known as the Freeport Declaration, calling on Dookeran to leave the UNC and follow the desire of the thousands gathered there toward the formation of a "New Political Vehicle."

In the 2007 General Elections, the COP had built momentum and at one stage, after holding a massive rally in Woodford Square, Port of Spain, had many analysts predicting an upset at the polls.

The Party won no Seats in Parliament but made impressive tallies in the East-West Corridor and Diego Martin areas.

[5] The PNM had a large majority but faced with mounting allegations of corruption, Prime Minister Patrick Manning called a snap election in 2010, more than two years before it was due.

The COP entered into a pact called the 'Fyzabad Declaration' where Kamla Persad-Bissessar who had recently been elected Political Leader of the UNC, would lead an electoral arrangement of several interest groups to the polls.

The COP made public its uneasiness with issues concerning Jack Warner and its share of local government and state board appointments.

Under the Leadership of Prakash Ramadhar, the COP saw many internal conflicts as the party became divided on its continued participation in the coalition with the United National Congress.

The rift between the COP hierarchy and its membership continued to widen resulting in an overall decline in party attractiveness and mass defections during the general election campaign of 2015.

The COP remained as a partner party within the People's Partnership coalition which contested the 2015 general elections in Trinidad & Tobago held on 7 September 2015.

With continued fallout from the election defeat and the judgement of the high court, Ramadhar resigned as political leader in February 2016, a year before his term of office ended.

The NNV was removed from the coalition as the political leader, Fuad Abu Bakr sought to become a candidate for the incumbent People's National Movement.

[12] In the general elections, the remaining members of the coalition except the PPM contested six (6) seats; COP - 4, DPTT - 1, and Independent (Fabien) - 1.

[13] The defeat also meant the COP lost their position as the political "third force" to the Tobago based Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP).