List of political parties in Finland

This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Finland

This article lists political parties in Finland.

Finland has a strong multi-party system with coalition governments formed usually by the largest party. Parties who are not in government are called the opposition.

The party system has been rather stable since the foundation of the parliament (1907) and independence (1917), as parties founded then or their breakoff factions have consistently held the overwhelming majority in the parliament. The establishment of the Green League is the exception.

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 signatures from 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. (In contrast, a voluntary association has a requirement of 20,000 supporters and is not eligible for party subsidy.)

Name
in English
Name
in Finnish
Name
in Swedish
Ideology Abbr.[1] Leader MPs[2] Founded
Parliamentary parties
Centre Party Suomen Keskusta Centern i Finland Centrism, Social liberalism Kesk. Juha Sipilä 49 1906
National Coalition Party Kansallinen Kokoomus Samlingspartiet Liberalism, Liberal conservatism Kok. Petteri Orpo 38 1918
Social Democratic Party of Finland Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue Finlands Socialdemokratiska Parti Social democracy SDP Antti Rinne 35 1899
Finns Party Perussuomalaiset Sannfinländarna Finnish nationalism, Economic nationalism, Social conservatism, Right-wing populism, Euroscepticism PS Jussi Halla-aho 17 19951
Green League Vihreä liitto Gröna förbundet Green politics Vihr. Touko Aalto 15 1987
Left Alliance Vasemmistoliitto Vänsterförbundet Democratic socialism, Eco-socialism Vas. Li Andersson 12 19904
Swedish People's Party of Finland Suomen ruotsalainen kansanpuolue Svenska folkpartiet i Finland Social Liberalism, Cultural liberalism, Swedo-Finnish interests RKP Anna-Maja Henriksson 9 + 12 19063
Christian Democrats of Finland Suomen Kristillisdemokraatit Kristdemokraterna i Finland Centre-right, Social conservatism KD Sari Essayah 5 1958
Non parliament registered parties
Feminist Party Feministinen puolue Feministiska partiet Feminism Katju Aro, Warda Ahmed, Katriina Rosavaara 2016
Independence Party Itsenäisyyspuolue Självständighetspartiet Euroscepticism, Economic democracy IPU Antti Pesonen † 1994
Communist Party of Finland Suomen Kommunistinen Puolue Finlands Kommunistiska Parti rp. Communism, Marxism SKP Juha-Pekka Väisänen 1994 (1985)5
Communist Workers' Party – For Peace and Socialism Kommunistinen Työväenpuolue – Rauhan ja Sosialismin puolesta Kommunistiska Arbetarpartiet – För Fred och Socialism Communism, Marxism-leninism KTP Hannu Harju 1988
Pirate Party Piraattipuolue Piratpartiet Pirate politics, Social liberalism PP Jonna Purojärvi 2008
Liberal Party – Freedom to Choose Liberaalipuolue – Vapaus valita Liberalpartiet – Frihet att välja Classical liberalism Lib. Juhani Kähärä 2016
Animal Justice Party of Finland Suomen Eläinoikeuspuolue Djurrättspartiet i Finland Animal rights EOP Saana-Maria Majatie 2016
Citizens' Party Kansalaispuolue Medborgarpartiet Centrism KP Sami Kilpeläinen 2016
1 Predecessor: Rural Party of Finland founded 1959 by Veikko Vennamo.
2 The Member of Parliament from the region of Åland is usually counted towards the Swedish member count regardless of Åland party affiliation.
3 The Swedish Party (1870–1906), considered a predecessor, was in the Diet of Finland.
4 Predecessor: Finnish People's Democratic League (1944) and Finnish Women's Democratic League.
5 A breakoff faction of the old Communist Party of Finland, originally broken off in the mid-1980s.

Other national parties

Historical political parties

Parties in parliament

Parties outside parliament

Election campaign stations for the Pirate Party and Independence Party, Narinkka, Helsinki.

See also

References

  1. Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus/Raija Moilanen. Puolueiden nimilyhenteet. http://www.kotus.fi/index.phtml?s=835
  2. Finnish Ministry of Justice: http://www.vaalit.fi/
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