It was launched in 1963 by Josef Raffeiner, former secretary of the South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP) from 1945 to 1947 and then Senator from 1948 to 1958, as a split of part of the economically liberal and liberal-conservative wing of SVP. In the 1963 general election THP took about 4% in the Province and in the 1964 provincial election 2.4% (Raffeiner was elected to the Council). It was the first notable competition to the catch-all SVP for the German-speaking electorate. After that, the party shifted to the right, attracting disgruntled right-wing conservatives. This development was contrary to what Raffeiner had planned and he disbanded the THP in 1968.[2][3]