The National Unity Party (NUP) is a political party in Myanmar (Burma). It is the successor to the Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP), which ruled the country from 1962 to 1988. The party's headquarters are in Bahan Township, Yangon. History The Burma Socialist Programme Party changed its name to the National Unity Party (NUP) on 24 September 1988. The NUP contested the 1990 general election and was seen as a proxy party of the Tatmadaw (military) and the main rival to Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy. The NUP was defeated in the election, but the results were not recognised by the Tatmadaw and subsequently voided. The NUP played a relatively minor role in Burmese politics after 1990 and maintained close ties with the Tatmadaw during the period of military rule under the State Peace and Development Council, which ended in 2011. Before 2011, the party membership consisted mainly of former Ne Win loyalists, former BSPP members, and top military commanders. The party contested the 2010 general election as the main challenger to the pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP); the NUP had nominated 999 parliamentary candidates nationwide (contesting at both national and regional levels), second only to the 1,100 candidates nominated by the USDP. The NUP joined other opposition parties in accusing the USDP of vote rigging after the USDP won a supermajority of the seats in a landslide victory. Twelve NUP candidates were elected to the Pyithu Hluttaw, five to the Amyotha Hluttaw, and 46 to the State and Regional Hluttaws. The NUP ran 763 candidates in the 2015 general election, all of whom lost except for one in Kachin State who was elected to the Amyotha Hluttaw. Ideology The NUP describes itself as federalist, nationalist, and populist. It advocates the implementation of a social market economy modelled after the system used in Germany (also known as "Rhine capitalism"). Despite the NUP's claims that it supports federalism, most of its members are former BSPP officials and military personnel, both of whom are known for their hardline anti-federalist, conservative, statist, and Burmese nationalist stances. The BSPP was well known for its opposition to federalism; the party was founded by Ne Win following his 1962 coup to prevent the ascension of a proposed federal amendment, which would have provided greater autonomy to ethnic minorities. Symbols The NUP adopted a new flag in 2016, changing the flag's colour