What is Commonwealth Liberal Party?
{{for|the modern Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party of Australia}} {{Infobox Australian political party | party_name = Commonwealth Liberal Party | party_logo = AlfredDeakin.jpeg | party_wikicolourid = Commonwealth Liberal | leader = [[Alfred Deakin]] | deputy = | foundation = 1909 | predecessor = [[Free Trade Party]]<br>[[Protectionist Party]] | dissolution = 1917 | successor = [[Nationalist Party of Australia]] | ideology = [[Liberalism]]<br>[[Conservatism]] | position = [[Centre-right]] | international = }} The '''Commonwealth Liberal Party''' (CLP) was a political party in Australia from 1909 to 1917. It was also known as '''The Fusion''', or the '''Deakinite Liberal Party'''. It is the earliest direct ancestor of the modern [[Liberal Party of Australia]]. The party was formed after the [[Australian Labor Party]] formed its second government in 1908. Business leaders told [[Alfred Deakin]], the leader of the [[Protectionist Party]], and [[Joseph Cook]], leader of the [[Anti-Socialist Party]], to join forces to oppose the Labor Party. In 1909, the Protectionists and Anti-Socialists joined to form the CLP. Deakin was the new party's first leader, with Cook as deputy leader. Several of the more liberal Protectionists left and joined Labor. The Protectionists and Anti-Socialists had a majority of seats in the [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]. The new party used its numbers to force [[Prime Minister of Australia|Prime Minister]] [[Andrew Fisher]] to resign. Deakin became Prime Minister for the third time. However, the CLP was defeated by Labor at its first election, less than a year later in [[Australian federal election, 1910|1910]]. Cook took over from Deakin shortly before the [[Australian federal election, 1913|1913 election]] and won government by a single seat. One year later, Cook introduced a [[bill]] removing special treatment for union members. Cook knew the Labor Party had the numbers in [[Senate of Australia|Senate]] to defeat the bill. When the Senat