The union claims to be independent in finance and the administration, and is not sponsored by any political parties. However Human Rights Monitor (hereafter short-termed as HRM) and the Democratic Development Network (hereafter short-termed as DDN) were just too close to the top-profile members of the Union. In 2005, the two factions supporting HRM and DDN respectively started a destructive power struggle, which in fact pushed the Social Democrats to power. The HRM and Social Democratic alliance remained in power until the conservatives took power in November 2006.