The AR was founded in 1925 under the name Acción Política ("Political Action") by Manuel Azaña and José Giral.
[1] As a member of the Republican Alliance (Spanish: Alianza Republicana), the AR was a signatory of the Pact of San Sebastián to overthrow the monarchy of Alfonso XIII and was later involved in the construction and consolidation of the Second Spanish Republic.
The party won 30 seats in the 1931 election and soon became, despite its small size, an integral part of governments until 1933 notably under its leader Manuel Azaña.
After the defeat of the left in the 1933 election, during which the AR won only 10 seats, it merged with the Autonomous Galician Republican Organization (ORGA) and Domingo's Radical Socialist Republican Party in 1934 to form the Republican Left (Izquierda Republicana).
It attracted the support of the small bourgeoisie, like teachers, lawyers and shopkeepers.