The People's Party (, until 2001 the Christian Democratic Party of Panama) is a Panamanian Christian democratic political party. Beginning in 1956, as Social Democratic Action, it was made up of middle-class professionals, intellectuals and students, with support from trade unions, particularly the Federation of Christian Workers. It went on to become one of Latin America's most conservative and anti-communist Christian democratic parties. The ideological foundation of the party is based on the social doctrine of the Catholic Church. The PP is a full member of the Christian Democrat International and Christian Democratic Organization of America. In 2004, the PP allied with the New Fatherland (PN) and its candidate Martín Torrijos Espino of Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD). In 2009, the PP allied with the One Country for All (UPPT) and its candidate Balbina Herrera of Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD). In 2014, the PP allied with the Panameñista Party and its candidate Juan Carlos Varela to form the El Pueblo Primero alliance, which won the election with 39% of the vote on May 4, 2014. As a result, several members of the party are currently serving in the Varela Administration, highlighted by the party's president Milton Henriquez who serves as Minister of Government. History The People's Party traces its origins to the “First Week of Christian Studies,” which met at Las Cumbres in March 1956. Those who participated in this and the “Second Week of Christian Studies” in July 1956 included intellectuals who had expressed their desire for Social Christian action. The group that organized these meetings formally established itself on 12 April 1956 and first called itself Social Democratic Action. From 1957 to 1960 it called itself the National Civic Union for the Christian Democratic Movement. In 1960, the organizers decided on the name the Christian Democratic Party of Panama (Partido Demócrata Cristiano de Panama, PDC). The PDC's leading figures were middle-class professionals, intellectuals and students, but support also came from the trade union. In particular, the Federation of Christian Workers, established in 1961, was closely aligned with the PDC. Early in 1964 the party chose its first set of candidates for a national election. For that year's elections, the PDC presented its first presidential candidate, José Antonio Molino, who was supported by Panama's Teachers Union. He received 9,681 votes (2.98%), coming in fourth among seven nominees. That was considered a success for the new party and was enough to