It is believed they felt betrayed by outgoing President Alpha Oumar Konaré, who supported Amadou Toumani Touré (eventual winner of the 2002 presidential election) against his own party.

The MCCDR of Boubacar Karamoko Coulibaly and the PMDR of Abdoul Wahab Berthe joined the URD.

The party had 114 mayors in Mali including Ali Farka Touré of Niafunke and Demba Fane of the fifth district of Bamako.

The URD backed Amadou Toumani Touré for re-election in the April 2007 presidential election.

The party, part of the pro-Touré Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ADP), won 34 out of 147 seats in the July 2007 parliamentary election.