Welche Bedeutung steckt hinter der hier vorgestellten Vokabel aus dem Bereich In the news?

In the news: At the party's annual conference, the rank and file were given all kinds of promises, excuses and other miscellaneous reasons for the party's poor performance over the last year.

the rank and file

Do you know what it means?

• the heads of department
• the striking population
• the main group members