Timeline of rival political parties

This article lists a timeline of notable political rivalries by country. Political party rivalries are not to be confused with rival family houses within a nation, or warring factions from different nations. This list will not indicate every rival political party within a nation, such as in multiple-party governments. Only the most notable and significant political parties are presented. Rival political alliances may be included as well.

Ancient to Medieval rivalries

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Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Populares vs Optimates 56 BC 27 BC

Early modern to present

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Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Socialist Party vs Democratic Party 1991 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Justicialist Party vs Radical Civic Union 1983 2015
Front for Victory vs Juntos por el Cambio 2015 2019
Justicialist Party vs Republican Proposal 2015 present
Frente de Todos vs Juntos por el Cambio 2019 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Australian Labor Party vs Coalition 1923 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
People's Party vs Social Democratic Party 1945 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Bangladesh Awami League vs Bangladesh Nationalist Party 1991 present
Grand Alliance vs Jatiya Oikya Front 2008 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Socialist Party vs Union of Democratic Forces 1990 2001
National Movement for Stability and Progress vs Socialist Party 2001 2009
Socialist Party vs GERB 2009 2021
We Continue the Change vs GERB 2021 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Cambodian People's Party vs FUNCINPEC 1993 present
Cambodian People's Party vs Candlelight Party 1998 2012
Cambodian People's Party vs Cambodia National Rescue Party 2012 2017
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Liberal Party of Canada vs Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942) 1867 1942
Liberal Party of Canada vs Progressive Conservative Party of Canada 1942 2003
Liberal Party of Canada vs Conservative Party of Canada 2003 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Concertación vs Alliance 1990 2017
Chile Vamos vs Nueva Mayoría 2017 2022
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Kuomintang vs Chinese Communist Party 1927 1949
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Liberal Party vs Conservative Party 1958 2002
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Croatian Democratic Union vs Social Democratic Party 2000 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Democratic Party vs Democratic Rally 1983 2008
Progressive Party of Working People vs Democratic Rally 2008 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Civic Democratic Party vs Social Democratic Party 1996 2013
ANO 2011 vs Social Democratic Party 2013 2017
ANO 2011 vs Civic Democratic Party 2017 present
ANO 2011 vs Spolu 2021 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Social Democrats vs Venstre & Conservatives 1918 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
French Section of the Workers' International vs Union for the New Republic 1962 1967
Federation of the Democratic and Socialist Left vs Union of Democrats for the Republic 1967 1969
Socialist Party vs Union of Democrats for the Republic 1969 1976
Socialist Party vs Rally for the Republic 1976 2002
Socialist Party vs Union for a Popular Movement 2002 2015
Socialist Party vs The Republicans 2015 2017
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Georgian Dream vs United National Movement 2012 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Social Democratic Party of Germany vs Christian Democratic Union of Germany 1945 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
New Patriotic Party vs National Democratic Congress 1992 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Panhellenic Socialist Movement vs New Democracy 1974 2012
Syriza vs New Democracy 2004 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Pro-Beijing camp vs Pro-democracy camp 1984 present
Democratic Alliance vs Democratic Party 1998 present
Democratic Alliance vs Civic Party 2012 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Fidesz vs Socialist Party 1998 2018
Fidesz-KDNP vs United for Hungary 2020 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Indian National Congress vs Communist Party of India 1951 1967
Indian National Congress vs Janata Party 1977 1984
United Progressive Alliance vs National Democratic Alliance 1989 1991
Indian National Congress vs Bharatiya Janata Party 1991 present
Indian National Congress vs National Democratic Alliance 1998 2004
United Progressive Alliance vs National Democratic Alliance 2004 2023
Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance vs National Democratic Alliance 2023 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Democratic Party (Indonesia) vs Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle 2004 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Fianna Fáil vs Fine Gael 1933 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Alignment Party vs Gahal 1965 1973
Likud vs Israeli Labor Party 1988 2014
Likud vs Zionist Union 2014 2019
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Historical Right vs Historical Left 1861 1891
Christian Democracy vs Communist Party 1948 1991
Christian Democracy vs Democratic Party of the Left 1991 1994
Centre-right coalition vs Centre-left coalition 1995 present
Pole for Freedoms vs The Olive Tree 1996 2001
House of Freedoms vs The Olive Tree 2001 2007
House of Freedoms vs The Union 2007 2008
Centre-right coalition vs Italy. Common Good 2012 2013
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Jamaica Labour Party vs People's National Party 1943 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Liberal Democratic Party vs Social Democratic Party 1955 1994
Liberal Democratic Party vs New Frontier Party 1994 1997
Liberal Democratic Party vs Democratic Party (1996-1998) 1997 1998
Liberal Democratic Party vs Democratic Party (1998-2016) 1998 2016
Liberal Democratic Party vs Democratic Party (2016-2018) 2016 2018
Liberal Democratic Party vs Constitutional Democratic Party 2017 present
Liberal Democratic Party vs Democratic Party for the People 2018 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Pro-establishment camp vs Pro-democracy camp 1990 present
New Macau Association vs Union for Development 2001 2013
New Macau Association vs Macau United Citizens Association 2005 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Barisan Nasional vs Barisan Alternatif 1998 2004
Barisan Nasional vs Pakatan Rakyat 2008 2015
Barisan Nasional vs Pakatan Harapan 2015 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Reform Party vs Democratic Nationalist Party 1883 1921
Maltese Political Union vs Democratic Nationalist Party 1921 1926
Nationalist Party vs Labour Party 1926 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Institutional Revolutionary Party vs National Action Party 1982 2018
Juntos Hacemos Historia vs Va por México 2020 2023
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Mongolian People's Party vs Democratic Union Coalition 1996 2000
Mongolian People's Party vs Democratic Party 2000 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
National League for Democracy vs Union Solidarity and Development Party 2010 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Liberal Party vs Reform Party 1909 1928
Labour Party vs United-Reform Coalition 1931 1936
Labour Party vs National Party 1936 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Social Democratic Union vs VMRO-DPMNE 1994 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Labour Party vs Conservative Party 1921 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Progresista Party vs Nacionalista Party 1907 1916
Democrata Party vs Nacionalista Party 1916 1931
Liberal Party vs Nacionalista Party 1946 1971
Lakas ng Bayan vs Kilusang Bagong Lipunan 1978 1987
Lakas–NUCD vs Nationalist People's Coalition 1992 1998
People Power Coalition vs Puwersa ng Masa 2000 2003
Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan sa Kinabukasan vs Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino 2003 2006
TEAM Unity vs Genuine Opposition 2006 2009
Team PNoy vs United Nationalist Alliance 2012 2016
Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid vs Partido Galing at Puso 2015 2018
Otso Diretso vs Hugpong ng Pagbabago 2018 2021

Starting in 1992, sextennial presidential elections allows political realignment to take place, with administration (government) and opposition coalitions taking shape. These won't become apparent after the election, and cements into the mid-term election three years later. The process repeats in the next presidential election.

Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Civic Platform vs Law and Justice 2005 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Regenerator Party vs Historic Party 1856, 1874 1870, 1878
Reformist Party vs Historic Party 1870 1874
Regenerator Party vs Progressive Party 1878 1910
Democratic Party vs Evolutionist Party 1911, 1918 1917, 1919
Democratic Party vs Republican Liberal Party 1919 1925
Democratic Party vs Nationalist Republican Party 1925 1926
Socialist Party vs Social Democratic Party 1975 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Reform Party vs Democratic Nationalist Party 1883 1921
United Russia vs Union of Right Forces 2001 2008
United Russia vs Communist Party of the Russian Federation 2001 present
United Russia vs Solidarnost 2008 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
People's Action Party vs Workers' Party 1968 Present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
National Party vs South African Party 1915 1934
African National Congress v. National Party 1994 1999
Democratic Alliance vs African National Congress 2000 Present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
National Association vs Democratic Party (1945) 1946 1951
Liberal Party vs Democratic Party (1945) 1951 1955
Liberal Party vs Democratic Party (1955) 1955 1963
Republican Party vs Civil Rights Party 1963 1967
Republican Party vs Democratic Party (1967) 1967 1980
Justice Party vs Democratic Party (1967) 1980 1981
Justice Party vs Democratic Party (1981) 1981 1988
Justice Party vs Democratic Party (1987) 1988 1990
Korea Party (1990) vs Democratic Party (1987) 1990 1991
Korea Party (1990) vs Democratic Party (1991) 1991 1995
Korea Party (1990) vs National Congress 1995 1997
Korea Party (1997) vs National Congress 1997 2000
Korea Party (1997) vs Democratic Party (2000) 2000 2003
Korea Party (1997) vs Uri Party 2003 2007
Korea Party (1997) vs Democratic Party (2008) 2007 2011
Korea Party (1997) vs Democratic Party (2011) 2011 2014
Korea Party (1997) vs Democratic Party (2014) 2014 2020
People Power Party vs Democratic Party (2014) 2020 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
People's Alliance vs Spanish Socialist Workers' Party 1979 1989
People's Party vs Spanish Socialist Workers' Party 1989 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Social Democratic Party vs Moderate Party 1940 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Kuomintang vs Democratic Progressive Party 1986 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Democrat Party vs Thai Rak Thai Party 1998 2007
Democrat Party vs People's Power Party 2007 2008
Democrat Party vs Pheu Thai Party 2008 2014
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Justice and Development Party vs Republican People's Party 2003 present
People's Alliance vs Nation Alliance 2018 2023
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Whigs vs Tories 1678 1834
Whigs vs Conservative Party 1834 1859
Liberal Party vs Conservative Party 1859 1922
Conservative Party vs Labour Party 1900 present
Democratic Unionist Party vs. Sinn Féin 1994 present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Federalist Party vs Democratic-Republican Party 1799 1824
Democratic Party vs Whig Party 1833 1854
Republican Party vs Democratic Party 1854 Present
Rivalry Beginning Year Ending Year
Democratic Action vs Copei 1958 1998
Great Patriotic Pole vs Democratic Unity Roundtable 2010 present