The founders of PRD had belonged to the leadership of MPLA, but were exiled during the purges that followed a failed coup in 1977.

The chairman of the party is Luis da Silva dos Passos.

In April 1992 the then chairman of the party, Joaquim Pinto de Andrade, left it.

Soon thereafter, in August of the same year, the General Secretary, Vicente Júnior, broke away.

This article about an Angolan political party is a stub.