List of communist parties

Communist parties

Africa Algeria Egypt Lesotho Madagascar Namibia Réunion Senegal South Africa South Sudan Sudan Tunisia
Americas Argentina (PCA • PCRA) Bolivia Brazil (PCdoB • PCB) Canada (CPoC • MLPoC) Chile (PCCh • PC(AP)) Colombia Cuba Ecuador Mexico (PC • PPS • PPSM) Panama (PPP • PC(ml)P) Paraguay Peru (PCP • PCdelP-PR) Uruguay United States Venezuela
Asia Bahrain Bangladesh (CPB • WPB) Burma China India (CPI • CPI (M) • CPI (Maoist) • SUCI(C)) Iran (CPI • Tudeh Party) Iraq Israel Japan Jordan Kazakhstan (CPK • CPPK) Kyrgyzstan North Korea Laos Lebanon Nepal (CPN (UML) • UCPN (M)) Pakistan Palestine Philippines Sri Lanka Syria Tajikistan Taiwan (TCP • CPRC) Vietnam Historical parties Cambodia Indonesia Malaya and Singapore Philippines Saudi Arabia Taiwan Thailand
Europe Albania Armenia Austria (KPÖ • KI) Azerbaijan Belarus (KPB) Belgium (PvdA/PTB • KP • PC) Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark (DKP • KPiD) Estonia Finland France Georgia Germany Greece Hungary Ireland (CPI • WPI) Italy (PdCI • PRC) Luxembourg Malta Moldova Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Russia (CPRF • RCWP-RPC) San Marino Serbia Slovakia Spain (PCE • PCC • PCPE) Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine United Kingdom (CPB • NCPB • CPS) Historical parties Czechoslovakia East Germany Italy Soviet Union United Kingdom West Germany Yugoslavia
Oceania Australia (CPA • CPA(ML)) New Zealand (CPA • WPNZ)
Related topics Communism (history) Marxism-Leninism Democratic centralism

There are a number of Communist parties active in various countries across the world, and a number who used to be active. The formation of Communist parties in various countries was first initiated by the formation of the Communist Third International by the Russian Bolsheviks. Undoubtedly the most important of these parties were those of the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China.

Some Communist parties have names such as Workers World Party, Socialist Party, Progressive Party, etc. Most, but not all, of the parties on this list are those that were aligned with either Moscow or Beijing during the Cold War and their offshoots. Groups currently and exclusively participating in the Trotskyist tradition are not included in the listing.

1 Ruling parties
2 Communist parties as part of other ruling coalition
3 Formerly ruling
4 Modern (Non ruling)
5 Former
6 Defunct (ruling)
7 Defunct (non-ruling)
8 See also
9 References

Ruling parties

In the following countries, the Communist parties either lead the ruling coalition or hold monopoly on state power.

China – Communist Party of China leads the United Front
Cyprus – Progressive Party of Working People – leads the ruling coalition
Cuba – Communist Party of Cuba
Laos – Lao People's Revolutionary Party
Nepal – Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) and Communist Party of Nepal (United) lead the governing coalition. Janamorcha Nepal, and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unity Centre-Masal), are also part of the coalition.
Vietnam – Communist Party of Vietnam – leads the Vietnamese Fatherland Front

Communist parties as part of other ruling coalition

In Cyprus, the ruling Communist party didn't come to power by fommenting a successful revolution, but ratherby being elected to power and thus operate according to the norms of a multi-party system. In Nepal, the ruling Communist parties participate in a multi-party coalition government, an alliance of 22 parties that holds 350 seats in the 601-member constituent assembly. There are also some parties that participate as junior partners in ruling coalitions, as listed below.