The PDAR was formed on 29 January 1990 as a competitor to the Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party (PNȚCD).

In the transitional government led by Petre Roman, PDAR member Nicolae Ștefan was Minister of Agriculture.

The party received 1.8% of the Chamber of Deputies vote in the 1990 general elections, winning nine seats.

[10] Despite increasing its Chamber vote share in the 1992 general elections to 3%, it failed to win a seat.

[12] It contested the 1996 elections as part of the National Union of the Centre alliance, alongside the Ecological Movement of Romania (MER) and the Humanist Party (PC).