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.
The parties represented in the parliament
The parliamentary parties are listed in the following table:Template:Finnish parliamentary election, 2003
Major political parties
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 1995 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
Registered political parties as of 2005 and their leaders
Seats in parliament:
- Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (SDP): Eero Heinäluoma
- Suomen Keskusta (KESK): Matti Vanhanen
- Kansallinen Kokoomus (KOK): Jyrki Katainen
- Vasemmistoliitto (VAS): Martti Korhonen
- Vihreä liitto (VIHR): Tarja Cronberg
- Svenska folkpartiet i Finland (SFP): Stefan Wallin
- Suomen Kristillisdemokraatit (KD): Bjarne Kallis
- Perussuomalaiset (PS): Timo Soini
Other registered parties:
- Vaihtoehtoväki
- Vapaan Suomen Liitto: Ilkka Hakalehto
- Liberaalit (LIB): Tomi Riihimäki
- Muutosvoimat Suomi (MVS): Ilkka Hakalehto
- Köyhien Asialla (KA): Terttu Savola
- Yhteisvastuu puolue (YVP): Taisto Vaetoja
- Suomi - Isänmaa R.P. (SIRP): Väinö Kuisma
- Suomen Kansan Sinivalkoiset (SKS): Olavi Mäenpää
- Suomen Kommunistinen Puolue (SKP): Yrjö Hakanen
- Eläkeläiset Kansan Asialla (EKA)
- Kommunistinen Työväenpuolue (KTP): Hannu Harju
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
Former parties
- ED = Kansallinen Edistyspuolue (National Progressive Party, liberal 1918-51);
- IKL = Isänmaallinen Kansanliike (Patriotic People's Movement, fascist, ex-Lapua 1932-44);
- KP = Kansanpuolue (Finnish People's Party, 1917-18, 1951-65, merged with VL as LKP);
- LKP = Liberaalinen Kansanpuolue (Liberal People's Party, 1965-2001, renamed 2001 LIB);
- LM = Lapua Movement, fascist, (1929-32);
- ML = Agrarian League (1906-65, renamed 1965 KESK);
- NSP = Nuorsuomalainen puolue (Young Finnish Party 1902-1918, succeeded by Kansallinen Edistyspuolue, liberal)
- SKDL = Finnish People's Democratic League (communists and socialists, 1944-90);
- SKL = Finnish Christian League (renamed KD 2001);
- SKP = Suomen Kommunistinen Puolue (Communist Party of Finland 1918-90, merged with SKDL into VAS);
- SMP = Finnish Agrarian Party (1959-95), succeeded by True Finns;
- SP = Suomalainen puolue (Finnish Party 1863 - 1918, succeeded by National Coalition Party)
- VL = Vapaamielisten Liitto Liberal League (liberal, 1951-65, merged with KP as LKP)
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.