Left Alliance (Finland)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Left Alliance
Name in Finnish Vasemmistoliitto
Name in Swedish Vänsterförbundet
Leader Martti Korhonen
Founded 1990
Headquarters Viherniemenkatu 5 A
FI-00530 HELSINKI
Political Ideology Socialism
Political Position Left
European Affiliation Nordic Green Left Alliance
International Affiliation
Colours Red
Website www.vasemmistoliitto.fi
See also Finnish Politics

Finnish Parliament
Finnish Government
Finnish President
Political parties
Elections

The Left Alliance (in Finnish: Vasemmistoliitto, Vas.; in Swedish: Vänsterförbundet) is a political party in Finland. Its current chair is Martti Korhonen, and it is a member of the Nordic Green Left Alliance. In parliamentary elections, Left Alliance share of the vote has been close to ten per cent. The Left Alliance had three portfolios in the two cabinets of Paavo Lipponen (1995-2003).

The party currently has 17 MPs in the Finnish Eduskunta, and one MEP in the European Parliament.

Contents

[edit] History

The party was founded as a result of a merger between the Finnish People's Democratic League (SKDL), the Finnish Women's Democratic League (SNDL), and the Communist Party of Finland (SKP). The founding meeting was held in April 1990 in Helsinki, following the publishing of the April Declaration, which emphasised the need for a party that would promote the ideals of the French Revolution - liberty, equality, and fraternity - in addition to peace and environmental values.

The party's short history has been characterised by internal disputes and bickering, as it was formed by people with very different views on society. There have been several large-scale defections from the Left Alliance to the Social Democratic Party and the newly formed Communist Party of Finland (Unity). In 2005, the party's former secretary and SAK's assistant head Matti Viialainen formed a society to promote a merger between the two largest Finnish left-wing political parties, the Left Alliance and the Social Democrats. This caused an outrage within the Left Alliance, and Viialainen was condemned of wanting to break up the party.

In 2006, the party's leader Suvi-Anne Siimes announced her resignation from the post as a result of long-standing feuds with the leftist section of the party. On May 13, 2006, Martti Korhonen was elected as the new party leader.

[edit] Ideology

In spite of its origins, the party is attempting to break away from association to the ideologies of socialism and communism, and to associate more closely to the 'New Left'. However, many Finnish people still draw a parallel between the Left Alliance and communism.[citation needed] The party's policy emphasises the link between social justice and the environment.

[edit] Chairs

[edit] Electoral results

[edit] Parliament elections

Year MPs Votes Share of votes
1991 19 274 639 10,1%
1995 22 310 340 11,2%
1999 20 291 675 10,9%
2003 19 277 152 9,9%
2007 17 244 009 8,8%

[edit] Local council elections

Year Councillors Votes Share of votes
1992 1 319 310 757 11,7%
1996 1 128 246 597 10,4%
2000 1027 219 671 9,9%
2004 987 228 358 9,6%

[edit] European parliament elections

Year MEPs Votes Share of votes
1996 2 236 490 10,5%
1999 1 112 757 9,1%
2004 1 151 291 9,1%

presidential

  • 1994 3,8% 122 820 (Claes Andersson)
  • 2000 no own candidate
  • 2006 no own candidate, but supports current president of Finland, Tarja Halonen

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../l/e/f/Left_Alliance_%28Finland%29_b1ca.html"