After the coup in 1991, the party evolved from liberal anticommunism to centrism (1992–1993) and later to moderate Russian nationalism (1994–1995).

The Democratic Party was opposed to the dissolution of the Soviet Union and criticised Latvia's and Estonia's policies towards their Russian-speaking minorities.

The party's stance on Yegor Gaidar's economic reforms was confusing but developed more critical in the course of time.

Similarly, during the October 1993 events in Moscow, Travkin initially supported the so-called zero variants (annulling both Yeltsin's decree nr 1400 and the Supreme Soviet's subsequent decisions).

In 2005 Mikhail Kasyanov tried to be elected chairman of the party, but lost to Andrei Vladimirovich Bogdanov.

In June 2007, the party proposed a referendum on joining the European Union and in December it took part in the legislative election, but it did not win any seats.

[1] In the 2007 Russian legislative election the party won 0.13% of votes, not breaking the 7% barrier, and thus no seats in the Duma.