This article is a list of political parties in Finland, which includes Finland’s national-level political parties and excludes local and provincial parties (such as the parties of Åland). A party is defined as a political association whose existence is recorded in the Ministry of Justice’s party register.[1]
Finland has a multi-party system. Coalition governments which comprise a majority of seats in the Parliament of Finland are the norm. Those parties which are not in government are called the opposition. Due to the lack of an electoral threshold, many parties are usually represented in Parliament. As a result, it is all but impossible for one party to win a majority. Additionally, the socialist and non-socialist blocs usually cannot win enough seats between them to form a governing coalition on their own. Most Finnish governments, particularly since World War II, have thus been grand coalitions comprising parties stretching across the political spectrum.
Parties work in parliamentary groups (eduskuntaryhmät), usually voting with party discipline, which is however not absolute.
Parties are composed of local chapters based in municipalities. In municipalities, which are fundamental administrative units of the country, parties hold seats in the municipal councils, but often have to compete for them with local non-party groups.
Finnish law states that a political association which fulfills certain conditions is eligible to become a political party free of charge. Among these conditions are:
A registered party may nominate candidates in any 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).
| Party | Ideology | MPs | MEPs | CCs | Leader | Founded | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Coalition Party Kansallinen Kokoomus (Samlingspartiet) | Finnish: Kok Swedish: Saml | Liberal conservatism | Petteri Orpo | 1918 | |||||||
| Finns Party Perussuomalaiset (Sannfinländarna) | Finnish: PS Swedish: Sannf | National conservatism Right-wing populism | Riikka Purra | 1995 | [2] | ||||||
| Social Democratic Party Sosialidemokraatit (Socialdemokraterna) | Social democracy | Antti Lindtman | 1899 | ||||||||
| Centre Party Suomen Keskusta (Centern i Finland) | Finnish: Kesk Swedish: C | Agrarianism (Nordic) Liberalism | Antti Kaikkonen | 1906 | [3] [4] [5] [6] | ||||||
| Green League Vihreä liitto (Gröna förbundet) (Ruoná lihttu) (Ruánáá litto) (Ruânn lett) | Green politics Green liberalism | Sofia Virta | 1987 | ||||||||
| Left Alliance Vasemmistoliitto (Vänsterförbundet) | Finnish: Vas Swedish: VF | Democratic socialism Eco-socialism | Li Andersson | 1990 | |||||||
| Swedish People's Party Ruotsalainen kansanpuolue (Svenska folkpartiet) | Swedish: SFP Finnish: RKP<br>R | Liberalism Swedish-speaking minority interests | Anders Adlercreutz | 1906 | [7] | ||||||
| Christian Democrats Kristillisdemokraatit (Kristdemokraterna) | Christian democracy Social conservatism | Sari Essayah | 1958 | ||||||||
| Movement Now Liike Nyt (Rörelse Nu) | Finnish: Liik Swedish: RN | Economic liberalism | Harry Harkimo | 2018 | [8] [9] [10] [11] | ||||||
Those parties that have received neither a seat in the Parliament of Finland nor in the European Parliament, but which are registered political parties, are listed below.
| Party | Ideology | CCs | Leader | Founded | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Belongs to the People Valta kuuluu kansalle | Finnish ultranationalism Vaccine hesitancy[12] [13] | 0 | Antti Asikainen | 2021 | [14] | ||
| Crystal Party Kristallipuolue (Kristall Parti) | Spirituality Anti-lockdown | 0 | Sanna Seesvalo | 2013 | [15] | ||
| Communist Party of Finland Suomen Kommunistinen Puolue (Finlands Kommunistiska Parti) | Communism Marxism–Leninism | 0 | Liisa Taskinen | 1994 | |||
| The Open Party Avoin Puolue | 0 | Petrus Pennanen | 2020 | [16] | |||
| Freedom Alliance Vapauden liitto | Right-wing populism National conservatism | 0 | Ossi Tiihonen | 2022 | |||
| Truth Party Totuuspuolue | National conservatism Russophilia | 0 | Jaana Kavonius | 2023 | [17] [18] | ||
| Liberal Party Liberaalipuolue (Liberalpartiet) | Classical liberalism Economic liberalism | 0 | Lassi Kivinen | 2016 | |||
The parties listed below have previously held the status of a registered party, but have been de-registered.
| Party | Ideology | CCs | Leader | Founded | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue-and-Black Movement Sinimusta Liike | Neo-fascism | 0 | Tuukka Kuru | 2021 | [19] [20] [21] [22] | |||
| Kansalaisliitto Kansalaisliitto (Medborgarförbundet) | Direct democracy Economic democracy | 0 | Arto Paajanen | 1994 | [23] | |||
| Pirate Party Piraattipuolue (Piratpartiet) | Pirate politics Social liberalism | 0 | Pekka Mustonen | 2008 | ||||
| Animal Justice Party Eläinoikeuspuolue (Djurrättspartiet) | Animal rights | 0 | Tatu Chanth | 2016 | ||||
| Feminist Party Feministinen puolue (Feministiska partiet) | Feminism | 0 | Lauri Alhojärvi | 2016 | ||||
| Communist Workers' Party Kommunistinen Työväenpuolue (Kommunistiska Arbetarpartiet) | Communism Marxism–Leninism | 0 | Sanni Riihiaho | 1988 | ||||
| Change 2011 Muutos 2011 (Förändring 2011) | Direct democracy | 0 | 2009 | [24] | ||||
| Party | Founded | Dissolved | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finnish Party Finnish: Suomalainen Puolue Swedish: Finska Partiet | 1863 | 1918 | ||
| Young Finnish Party Finnish: Nuorsuomalainen Puolue Swedish: Ungfinska Partiet | 1894 | 1918 | ||
| Christian Workers' Union of Finland Finnish: Suomen Kristillisen Työväen Liitto, KTL Swedish: Kristliga Arbetarförbundet | 1906 | 1922 | ||
Finnish: Kansanpuolue Swedish: Folkpartiet | 1917 | 1918 | ||
| Communist Party of Finland Finnish: Suomen Kommunistinen Puolue, SKP Swedish: Finlands Kommunistiska Parti, FKP | 1918 | 1992 | ||
| National Progressive Party Finnish: Kansallinen Edistyspuolue Swedish: Framstegspartiet | 1918 | 1951 | ||
| Liberal Swedish Party Swedish: Svenska frisinnade partiet Finnish: Ruotsalainen vapaamielinen puolue | 1919 | 1951 | ||
| Patriotic People's Movement Finnish: Isänmaallinen kansanliike Swedish: Fosterländska folkrörelsen | 1932 | 1944 | ||
| People's Party Finnish: Kansanpuolue Swedish: Folkpartiet | 1932 | 1936 | ||
| Finnish People's Democratic League Finnish: Suomen Kansan Demokraattinen Liitto, SKDL Swedish: Demokratiska Förbundet för Finlands Folk, DFFF | 1945 | 1990 | ||
| Liberal League Finnish: Vapaamielisten liitto Swedish: De Frisinnades Förbund | 1951 | 1965 | ||
| Liberals Finnish: Liberaalit Swedish: Liberalerna | 1965 | 2011 | ||
| Finnish People's Unity Party Finnish: Suomen Kansan Yhtenäisyyden Puolue, SKYP Swedish: Enhetspartiet för Finlands Folk, EFF | 1972 | 1983 | ||
| Constitutional Right Party Finnish: Perustuslaillinen Oikeistopuolue, POP Swedish: Konstitutionella högerpartiet | 1973 | 1992 | ||
| Democratic Alternative Finnish: Demokraattinen Vaihtoehto, Deva Swedish: Demokratiskt Alternativ, DA | 1986 | 1990 | ||
| Kirjava ”Puolue” – Elonkehän Puolesta Swedish: Det Eko-Brokiga Partiet | 1988 | 2003 | ||
| People's Party of Finland Finnish: Suomen Kansanpuolue Swedish: Finska folkpartiet | 1951 | 1965 | ||
| Reform Group Finnish: Remonttiryhmä Swedish: Reformgruppen | 1998 | 2001 | ||
| Finnish Rural Party Finnish: Suomen Maaseudun Puolue, SMP Swedish: Finlands landsbygdsparti, FLP | 1959 | 1995 | ||
| Small Farmers Party Finnish: Pienviljelijäin Puolue Swedish: Småbrukarpartiet | 1936 | 1954 | ||
| Small Farmers' Party of Finland Finnish: Suomen Pienviljelijäin Puolue Swedish: Småbrukarpartiet | 1929 | 1936 | ||
| Socialist Electoral Organisation of Workers and Smallholders Finnish: Sosialistinen työväen ja pienviljelijöiden vaalijärjestö, STPV Swedish: Finlands socialistiska arbetarparti | 1924 | 1930 | ||
| Socialist Workers' Party of Finland Finnish: Suomen Sosialistinen Työväenpuolue, SSTP Swedish: Finlands socialistiska arbetarparti | 1920 | 1923 | ||
| Socialist Unity Party Finnish: Sosialistinen yhtenäisyyspuolue, SYP Swedish: Socialistiska enhetspartiet | 1946 | 1955 | ||
| Social Democratic Union of Workers and Smallholders Finnish: Työväen ja Pienviljelijöiden Sosialidemokraattinen Liitto, TPSL Swedish: Arbetarnas och Småbrukarnas Socialdemokratiska Förbund, ASSF | 1959 | 1973 | ||
| Young Finns Finnish: Nuorsuomalaiset Swedish: Ungfinnarna | 1994 | 1999 | ||