Left Party

The Left Party (Vänsterpartiet) is a political party in Sweden. The Left Party, formerly the Left Party – Communists (Vänsterpartiet kommunisterna or (vpk)), is today a party which expresses some of the traditional values of the social democrats but with a more radical view. In welfare issues they oppose privatization, they are more focused on the environment than other leftists, they oppose Swedish membership of the European Union and are a proponent of feminist and egalitarian politics. Their voter base consists mainly of the younger generation, public sector employees, journalists, and former social democrats.

The Left Party is a member of the Nordic Green Left Alliance.

Vänsterpartiet is in coalition rule, since 1996, together with the Social Democrats and the Greens in the Swedish parliament and in many of Sweden's counties and municipalities.

Party Names

• 1917–1921 Sverges Socialdemokratiska Vänsterparti (SSV, Social Democratic Left Party of Sweden)
• 1921–1967 Sveriges Kommunistiska Parti (SKP, Communist Party of Sweden)
• 1967–1990 Vänsterpartiet Kommunisterna (VPK, Left Party – the Communists)
• 1990- Vänsterpartiet (Left Party)

Voter base

Party Leaders

• Carl Winberg, 1917
• Zeth Höglund, 1917, 1919–1924
• Ernst Åström, 1918
• Karl Kilbom, 1918, 1921–1923
• Nils Flyg, 1924–1929
• Sven Linderot, 1929–1951
• Hilding Hagberg, 1951–1964
• C.-H. Hermansson, 1964–1975
• Lars Werner, 1975–1993
• Gudrun Schyman, 1993–2003
• Ulla Hoffman (acting), 2003–2004
• Lars Ohly 2004-

Splits

• 1919: a group opposed to joining ComIntern leaves the party.
• 1921: a group refusing to go along with the name-change to SKP is expelled. They form their own party, called SSV.
• 1924: Zeth Höglund splits, and forms his own SKP.
• 1929: Majority of the party is expelled. Form their parallell SKP.
• 1956: Set Persson forms the Communist Labour League of Sweden.
• 1967: Pro-China elements form KFML.
• 1977: Pro-Moscow wing breaks away, forms Workers Party – Communists
• 2004: Gnesta branch disassociates itself from main party, forms Vänsterdemokraterna.

See also

• Ung Vänster
• Referenda in Sweden

Publications

• Blekinge Folkblad (1943–1957)
• Bohustidningen  (1946–1948)
• Borås Folkblad (1943–1957)
• Dalarnes Folkblad (1917–1925)
• Dalarnes Folkblad (1940–1956)
• Folkviljan (1942–1957)
• Folkviljan (1980–1989)
• Gästriklands Folkblad (1921–1922)
• Hälsingekuriren (1919–1923)
• Kalmar Läns-Kuriren (1923–1942)
• Norra Småland (1918–1923)
• Norrlandskuriren (1922)
• Norrskensflamman (1906–1977)
• Piteåbygden (1920)
• Röda Röster (1919–1930)
• Skånes Folkblad (1918–1922)
• Smålandsfolket (1940)
• Örebro Läns Arbetartidning (1940–1956)
• Örebro Läns Folkblad (1919–1920)
• Övre Dalarnes Tidning (1917–1920)

References

• United States Department of State – Sweden

External links

• Vänsterpartiet – Official site
• The Swedish Parliament: The Left Party