National Alliance (South Africa)

The National Alliance was a short-lived political alliance in South Africa, formed in 2001 by the Democratic Party (DP) and the New National Party (NNP). The primary motivation behind its formation was to create a stronger opposition to the African National Congress (ANC), which had dominated South African politics since the end of apartheid.

The alliance aimed to consolidate liberal and conservative elements within the opposition and attract a broader base of support. The DP, representing largely white, liberal voters, sought to expand its appeal to Afrikaners and coloured voters who had traditionally supported the NNP. The NNP, successor to the National Party (which implemented apartheid), was in decline and looking for a viable political future.

However, the National Alliance proved to be unstable and ultimately unsuccessful. Internal divisions and disagreements over policy direction plagued the alliance from its inception. A key point of contention was the NNP's continued willingness to cooperate with the ANC, which clashed with the DP's more confrontational approach.

The alliance effectively dissolved in 2003 when the NNP, under leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk, formally withdrew and eventually merged with the ANC in 2005. This decision effectively ended the NNP as a significant political force and left the Democratic Alliance (DA), formed from the DP, as the main opposition party to the ANC. The failure of the National Alliance underscored the challenges of uniting disparate political forces in post-apartheid South Africa.