D ) ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁elections ▁in ▁the ▁" Union ▁for ▁Peace ▁and ▁Progress " ▁coal ition ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁Social ist ▁Party ▁of ▁R S ▁( SP RS ) ▁and ▁a ▁minor ▁party . ▁The ▁club ▁and ▁later ▁party ▁( S NS D ) ▁was ▁cha ired ▁by ▁Mil or ad ▁D od ik . ▁▁ 1 9 9 7 – present ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁elections ▁it ▁co oper ated ▁with ▁S PR S ▁and ▁the ▁Ser b ▁National ▁Alliance ▁( S NS ) ▁in ▁the ▁S log a ▁(" Un ity ") ▁coal ition . ▁The ▁S NS ▁was ▁founded ▁by ▁Bil j ana ▁P lav š ić , ▁who ▁had ▁left ▁the ▁SD S ▁following ▁internal ▁cl ash es . ▁D od ik ▁was ▁the ▁R S ▁PM ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 – 2 0 0 1 . ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁the ▁Social ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁of ▁Repub lika ▁Sr ps ka ▁merged ▁into ▁the ▁S NS D , ▁and ▁after ▁local ▁elections ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁Nik ola ▁Š pi ri ć ' s ▁Democratic ▁Social ist ▁Party ▁( D SP ) ▁merged ▁into ▁it ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁the ▁S NS D ▁then ▁changed ▁its ▁name ▁to ▁the ▁" Al liance ▁of ▁Independent ▁Social ▁Democr ats ", ▁keeping ▁its ▁old ▁abbre viation . ▁D SP ▁was ▁a ▁spl inter ▁party ▁of ▁the ▁S PR S . ▁In ▁August ▁ 2 0 0