The direct cause for the formation of the AOV were budget cuts on retirement homes.
During the campaign, the party organized several successful mass protests against budget cuts.
After the split there was no party in parliament which was allowed to call itself AOV by the presidium.
In the 1995 Senate election, the party won two seats, one of which was taken by Batenburg, who immediately became an independent.
The party was supported by elderly, especially by former CDA-voters from the Southern provinces, North Brabant and Limburg.