He advocated the rights of Afrikaners and political separation of the British and Dutch communities. He founded the National Party (1914) and as Prime Minister he made Afrikaans an official language. He formed a coalition with Jan Smuts in 1933 and in 1934 the National Party merged with the South African Party to form the United Party. He implemented policies to segregate White and Black people and disenfranchised the Cape Bantu. He advocated neutrality in World War II and resigned when this was rejected