In May 2009, Lakas–CMD merged with Arroyo's Kabalikat ng Mamamayang Pilipino, thereby being known as Lakas Kampi CMD, a completely new entity. In May 2012, Lakas Kampi CMD renamed itself again as Lakas–CMD after the separation of KAMPI.
On November 30, 1991, the LDP National Convention was held to select the presidential and vice presidential nominees for 1992. After losing the presidential nomination to Speaker Ramon Mitra Jr., Ramos bolted the LDP and organized the United People Power Movement (UPPM) together with then Pangasinan Representative Jose de Venecia Jr. The new party was officially named Lakas ng Tao and formally launched on January 3, 1992, at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan.
Since Ramos got a low plurality in the election, de Venecia created the Rainbow Coalition and converged Lakas, LDP, NPC, and other national parties. In 1995, Lakas–NUCD formed an alliance with LDP for the 1995 legislative elections. This coalition, calles the Lakas-Laban Coalition, won a majority in both houses of Congress.
1998 elections
In 1997, Lakas–NUCD was joined by the United Muslim Democrats of the Philippines (UMDP) of former Ambassador Sanchez Ali, thereby changing the party's name to Lakas ng Tao–National Union of Christian Democrats–United Muslim Democrats of the Philippines (Lakas–NUCD–UMDP). In November of the same year, Lakas held a national convention to select its nominees for the 1998 national elections. The long list of contenders for the presidential nomination had been abridged into a close fight between Ramos' two leading political lieutenants, House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. and former Defense Secretary Renato de Villa. After rounds of secret balloting, de Venecia won the nomination and was officially proclaimed as the Lakas presidential nominee for the 1998 elections.
De Venecia lost the presidential election to Vice President Joseph Estrada of Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino by a significant plurality. Arroyo won the vice presidency in the same manner as Estrada, defeating Estrada's running mate, Senator Edgardo Angara. Arroyo emerged victorious in the vice presidential race while KAMPI was in hiatus.
In early 2004, the party's name was shortened and changed into the current Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas–CMD). However, the meaning of Lakas in the party name is usually now referred to as "Lakas ng EDSA" ("The Strength of EDSA") than the original "Lakas ng Tao" ("The Strength of the People"/"People Power"). This is also the name that the party used when it participated in the May 10, 2004, general elections as a leading member of the K4 Coalition. President Gloria Arroyo, who succeeded the deposed President Joseph Estrada, was the K4 Coalition candidate for President in the May 2004 presidential election, eventually winning over her opponents primarily movie actor Fernando Poe Jr. and Senator Panfilo Lacson.
After Poe's unsuccessful bid to the presidency, his supporters, which also included Estrada supporters, viewed the election results as fraudulent, and came under legal protest by Poe and his vice-presidential running-mate, former senator Loren Legarda. The poll protest was later thrown out by the Supreme Court acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, as well as Legarda's protest.
At the onset of 2006, Lakas–CMD was torn by factional rivalry between supporters of President Arroyo and supporters of former President Fidel V. Ramos. Issues include transitory provisions in a proposed Constitution to scrap mid-term elections (or "no-el") set for 2007 and calls for her to step down in time for the elections, which is related to the "no-el" controversy. The party held its Annual Party Directorate Meeting on January 14, 2006, to discuss these matters.
On January 16, 2008, Lakas–CMD spokesman and legal counsel Raul Lambino stated that Lakas–CMD officially released the list of senatorial bets for 2010. Except for Parañaque Representative Eduardo Zialcita, they were not yet identified. However, Lambino named incumbent Senators Ramon Revilla Jr. and Lito Lapid, former senator Ralph Recto and former Congressman Prospero Pichay as among those considered.[3]
De Venecia's resignation
Former House Speaker de Venecia resigned his post as president of Lakas on March 10, 2008, and rejected the proposition of former President Ramos to give him the title Chairman Emeritus. The current Speaker of the House Prospero Nograles(Davao City–1st District) was sworn-in as the new party president and former House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. as Vice President for Metro Manila Affairs on the same day.
Merger with KAMPI
On June 18, 2008, President Gloria Arroyo confirmed the historical merger of the Lakas–CMD and the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI) parties. Both parties adopted the “equity of the incumbent” principle, as the merger will account for almost 200 national and 8,000 local officials, amid President Arroyo's prediction of May 2010 elections victory. Lakas–CMD President Prospero Nograles and KAMPI Chairman Ronaldo Puno signed the covenant at the regional caucus held in Davao City.[4][5] Ramos, the party chairman-emeritus, announced on February 6, 2008, that Lakas–CMD would be the surviving entity after its merger with KAMPI.[6]
On August 9, 2009, de Venecia Jr. and Ramos led fifty members from the Lakas–Kampi–CMD in objecting to its merger with KAMPI on May 28, 2009. The faction made de Venecia its President with Ramos as its Chairman Emeritus. However, Ramos later refused the offer of being the party's chairman-emeritus after being named in the interim party organization. De Venecia has filed a resolution at the Commission on Elections to declare null and void the merger.[7] However, the Supreme Court ultimately upheld the legality of the merger,[8] citing the failure of de Venecia “to sufficiently show that any grave abuse of discretion was committed by the Commission on Elections in rendering the challenged resolution.”[9]
Lakas-CMD has always focused on economic growth and development, stronger ties with the United States, creation of jobs, and strong cooperation between the executive and legislative branches of government. It is known for its advocacy of a shift from the present presidential system to a parliamentary form of government through constitutional amendments and through establishing peace talks with Muslim separatists and communist rebels. The party democracy is distinct in its ecumenical inclusion of Muslim leaders in its political alliance.[2]