The political programme of the party advocated for Ottomanism, government decentralisation, the rights of ethnic minorities, and close relations with Britain.
[5] It was the main challenger to the CUP during the April 1912 elections, which the Committee rigged in favor of itself, giving Freedom and Accord only 6 seats of 275 total.
[citation needed] Ahmed Muhtar Pasha's suprapartisan Great Cabinet followed, which was supported by the Savior Officers and Freedom and Accord.
During the Balkan War, the party came under the influence of Miralay Sadık and Gümülcineli İsmail Hakkı, who planned to overthrow the Kâmil Pasha government in a putsch on 25 January 1913.
[citation needed] However the CUP undertook a coup d'état two days before they could on 23 January 1913, and İsmail Enver forced Kâmil Pasha to resign the premiership at gun point.
Mustafa Sabri, Ali Kemal, Rıza Tevfik, and Refik Halit (Karay), former and active members of the party, took part in its management.
Some members of the party advocated for the Ottoman Empire to become a League of Nations Mandate, an attitude that was also initially considered by a few ex-Unionists.
The party fiercely opposed the Turkish nationalist movement for being unreconstructed Unionists, which they blamed for all problems the Ottoman Empire faced post-war.
While Ottoman politicians were anticipating the call of a new election after the dissolution of parliament, Freedom and Accord reopened its branches in Istanbul in other provinces, though it found no support in Anatolia.
The election resulted in a decisive victory of the pro-Association for the Defense of National Rights of Anatolia and Rumelia party known as Felah-ı Vatan [tr].
[10] When Sabri wasn't appointed Sheikhulislam in the 4th Ferid Pasha government, Sadık took the opportunity to do a party takeover, purging him and his supporters.
[11] Other pro-Freedom and Accord newspapers included the Tanzimat, Teminat, Şehrah, İkdam, İktiham, Sabah and Yeni Gazete.