List of political parties in Finland
Political parties in Finland lists political parties in Finland. Finland has a multi-party system, with three strong parties, in which no one party often has a chance of gaining power alone, and parties must work with each other to form coalition governments.
Political parties represented in the Parliament
The Social Democratic Party of Finland (SDP) is mostly supported by the urban working class but it also has some support among small farmers, white-collar workers, and professionals. In the 1995 parliamentary elections, SDP gained a plurality in Finland's parliament with 28% of the vote. But as it won far less than an overall majority, a five-party governing coalition was formed, baptized the "Rainbow-coalition". In the 1999 general election, the SDP maintained its plurality with 22.9%, but the Center party came in as a near second with 22.4%. The coalition continued with little changes.
Finland's two other major parties are the Centre Party of Finland (Keskusta), traditionally representing rural interests, and the conservative National Coalition (Finland) (Kansallinen Kokoomus), which draws its major support from the business community and urban professionals. The Center won nearly 20% and the Conservatives 18% of the vote in 1995. In the 1999 elections, they won 22.9% and 21% of the vote, respectively. The Conservatives were the second-largest party in the SDP-led coalition, which is rounded out by the Swedish People's Party and the Green League (which left the Rainbow-coalition after the decision to build a fifth nuclear reactor).
The Leftist Alliance (LA), the SDP's rival on the left, gained 11% of the vote in 1995 and joined the SDP-led cabinet. In the 1999 elections it again got 11% of the vote, and remained in cabinet. The LA was formed in May 1990 and replaced the People's Democratic League, the group that represented the Finnish Communist Party in the Eduskunta. Political activity by Communists was legalized after the Continuation War in 1944.
Registered political parties
Under Finnish law, a political association that fulfils certain conditions may become an officially registered party. A registered party may nominate candidates in all national and local elections, and a party that is represented in parliament is entitled to a government subsidy relative to its number of seats. To qualify as a registered party, an association must have bylaws guaranteeing democratic internal organization and must be able to present 5,000 supporters who are eligible to vote. A party that fails to win a single seat in two consecutive parliamentary elections is stricken from the register but may apply again.
Registered political parties as of 2005 and their leaders:
Parties represented in parliament:
- Suomen Keskusta (KESK): Matti Vanhanen
- Suomen Kristillisdemokraatit (KD): Päivi Räsänen
- Vihreä liitto (VIHR): Tarja Cronberg
- Vasemmistoliitto (VAS): Martti Korhonen
- Kansallinen Kokoomus (KOK): Jyrki Katainen
- Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (SDP): Eero Heinäluoma
- Svenska folkpartiet i Finland (SFP): Stefan Wallin
- Perussuomalaiset (PS): Timo Soini
Other registered parties:
- Suomen Kommunistinen Puolue (SKP): Yrjö Hakanen
- Eläkeläiset Kansan Asialla (EKA)
- Kommunistinen Työväenpuolue (KTP): Hannu Harju
- Köyhien Asialla (KA): Terttu Savola
- Liberaalit (LIB): Ilkka Innamaa
- Muutosvoimat Suomi (MVS): Ilkka Hakalehto
- Suomen Kansan Sinivalkoiset (SKS): Olavi Mäenpää
- Suomi - Isänmaa R.P. (SIRP): Väinö Kuisma
- Vaihtoehtoväki
- Vapaan Suomen Liitto: Ilkka Hakalehto
- Yhteisvastuu puolue (YVP): Taisto Vaetoja
Parties in Åland
The autonomous region of Åland has its own party system. These parties are listed in the following table: Template:Åland legislative election, 2003
See also
- Index of political parties to browse parties by name
- List of political parties to browse parties by country
- List of political parties by ideology to browse parties by name
- Membership of internationals to browse parties by membership of internationals
- See also Political parties in Åland.