Left Alliance (Finland)
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| Left Alliance | |
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| Name in Finnish | Vasemmistoliitto |
| Name in Swedish | Vänsterförbundet |
| Leader | Paavo Arhinmäki |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Headquarters | Viherniemenkatu 5 A FI-00530 HELSINKI |
| Political Ideology | Socialism, eco-socialism |
| Political Position | Left |
| European Affiliation | Nordic Green Left Alliance NELF |
| European Parliament Group | GUE/NGL |
| International Affiliation | |
| Colours | Red, Green |
| Website | www.vasemmistoliitto.fi |
| See also | Finnish Politics Finnish Parliament |
The Left Alliance (Finnish: Vasemmistoliitto, Swedish: Vänsterförbundet) is a socialist political party in Finland. It was based on two socialist parties in 1990 and two others merged into it later.
In parliamentary elections, Left Alliance share of the vote has been close to ten percent. The Left Alliance had three portfolios in the two cabinets of Paavo Lipponen (1995-2003). Its current chair is Martti Korhonen, and it is a member of the Nordic Green Left Alliance.
The party currently has 17 MPs in the Finnish Eduskunta, and one MEP in the European Parliament. The party organ is the newspaper Kansan Uutiset.
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[edit] History
The party was founded as a result of a merger between the Finnish People's Democratic League (SKDL - a socialist/communist party), Democratic Alternative (an orthodox pro-Soviet communist party), 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. 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 for wanting to break up the party.
In 2006, the party's leader Suvi-Anne Siimes announced her resignation from the post, and the party, as a result of long-standing feuds with the taistoist (orthodox pro-Soviet communist) section of the party. On May 13, 2006, Martti Korhonen was elected as the new party leader.
[edit] Ideology
The party has generally strongly anti-European. More than three quarters opposed EU membership in 1994.[1] However, it supports European integration in its party program today.
The party is attempting to break away from association with the ideologies of socialism and communism, and to associate itself more closely with what it officially calls "punavihreä" (English: red green), red referring to socialism.
[edit] Chairs
- Claes Andersson (1990–1998)
- Suvi-Anne Siimes (1998–2006)
- Martti Korhonen (2006–)
[edit] Elections results
Parliament elections
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Local council elections
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European parliament elections
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Presidential elections
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[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Left Alliance website (English)
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