Left Alliance (Finland)
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Template:Infobox Finnish Political Party The Left Alliance or Vasemmistoliitto is a political party in Finland. Its current chair is Suvi-Anne Siimes, and it is a member of the Nordic Green Left Alliance. In parliamentary elections, Left Alliance share of the vote has been close to ten per cent. The Left Alliance had three portfolios in the two cabinets of Paavo Lipponen (1995-2003).
The party currently has 19 MPs in the Finnish Eduskunta, and one MEP in the European Parliament.
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History
The party was founded as a result of a merger between the Finnish People's Democratic League (SKDL), the Finnish Women's Democratic League (SNDL), and the bankrupt 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 (Unity). 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 of wanting to break up the party.
Ideology
In spite of its origins, the party is attempting to break away from association to the ideologies of socialism and communism, and to associate more closely to the 'New Left'. However, many Finnish people still draw a parallel between the Left Alliance and communism. The party's policy emphasises the link between social justice and the environment.
Chairs
- Claes Andersson (1990–1998)
- Suvi-Anne Siimes (1998–)
Electoral success
parliament
- 1991 10,1% 274 639 votes (19 MPs)
- 1995 11,2% 310 340 (22)
- 1999 10,9% 291 675 (20)
- 2003 9,9% 277 152 (19)
european parliament
- 1996 10,5% 236 490 (2 MEPs)
- 1999 9,1% 112 757 (1)
- 2004 9,1% 151 291 (1)
local
- 1992 11,7% 310 757 (1319 councillors)
- 1996 10,4% 246 597 (1128)
- 2000 9,9% 219 671 (1027)
- 2004 9,6% 228 358 (987)
presidential
- 1994 3,8% 122 820 (Claes Andersson)
- 2000 no own candidate
External links
- Left Alliance website (http://www.vasemmistoliitto.fi)fi:Vasemmistoliitto