List of communist parties
There are a number of communist parties active in various countries across the world and a number that used to be active. They differ not only in method, but also in strict ideology and interpretation, although they are generally within the tradition of Marxism–Leninism.
Official ruling parties in communist states Communist parties as ruling parties or part of a governing coalition in multi-party states Formerly ruled under a one-party system Formerly ruled under a parliamentary majority or minority government Formerly ruled as a coalition partner or supporter Parts of countries formerly ruled under a one-party system |
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The formation of communist parties in various countries was first initiated by the Russian Bolsheviks within the Communist International. Since then, communist parties have governed numerous countries, whether as ruling parties in one-party states like the Communist Party of China or the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, or as ruling parties in multi-party systems, including majority and minority governments as well as leading or being part of several coalitions.
Many other communist parties did not govern any country, but did govern a state or region within a country. Others have also been represented in national, state, or regional parliaments. Some communist parties and schools of thought reject parliamentarism, instead advocating insurrection or social revolution as well as workers' councils.
Officially ruling in communist states
In the following countries, communist parties either lead the ruling coalition or hold monopoly on state power as defined by their respective country's constitutions.
Ruling or part of ruling coalition in multi-party states
Main opposition in multi-party states
Formerly ruling
One-party system
Parliamentary majority or minority government
Country | Logo | Name | Abbr. | Leaders | Founded | Dissolved | Ideology | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Austria (1945–1949) |
Communist Party of Austria Kommunistische Partei Österreichs |
KPÖ | Ruth Fischer & Franz Koritschoner & Lucien Laurat (first) Mirko Messner (current) |
3 November 1918 | Marxism–Leninism Anti-fascism |
Participated in the provisional coalition of the Government of Austria after World War II and for four years after the 1945 Austrian legislative election | |||
Bangladesh (1975) |
Bangladesh Worker's-Peasants' People's League বাংলাদেশ কৃষক শ্রমিক আওয়ামী লীগ |
BAKSAL বাংকশ্আল |
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman | 24 February 1975 | 15 August 1975 | State socialism Bengali nationalism |
Dissolved after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman | ||
Chad (1993) |
Chadian Action for Unity and Socialism Action Tchadienne pour l'unité et le socialisme |
ACTUS | Fidèle Moungar | 1 May 1981 | Marxism–Leninism Ecologism |
The party's leader was chosen as Prime Minister in April 1993 by the Sovereign National Conference, but subsequently lost an October 1993 vote of no-confidence and resigned. | |||
Cyprus (2008–2013) |
Progressive Party of Working People Ανορθωτικό Κόμμα Εργαζόμενου Λαού |
AKEL ΑΚΕΛ |
Ploutis Servas (first) Stefanos Stefanou (current) |
15 August 1926 | Marxism–Leninism Pacifism Cypriot nationalism |
Won the 2008 election and ruled until 2013 | |||
Guyana (1992–2015) |
People's Progressive Party/Civic | PPP/С | Cheddi Jagan & Janet Jagan (first) Bharrat Jagdeo (current) |
1 January 1950 | Social democracy Left-wing populism Left-wing nationalism Nominally: Marxism–Leninism |
The party de facto abandoned Marxism–Leninism in favor of social democracy by 2015. | |||
India (1996–1998) |
Communist Party of India | CPI | Sachchidanand Vishnu Ghate (first) D. Raja (current) |
26 December 1925 | Marxism–Leninism Left-wing nationalism |
Member of the United Front and its coalition government | |||
Communist Party of India (Marxist) | CPI(M) | Puchalapalli Sundarayya (first) Sitaram Yechury (current) |
7 November 1964 | Marxism–Leninism Left-wing nationalism |
Member of the United Front and its coalition government | ||||
Moldova (2001–2009) |
Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova Partidul Comuniștilor din Republica Moldova |
PCRM | Vladimir Voronin | 22 October 1993 | Democratic socialism Left-wing populism Moldovenism Pro-Russia |
Deposed after the 2009 protests | |||
Nepal (1994–1995, 2008–2013, 2015–2017, 2018–2021) |
Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) नेपाल कम्युनिष्ट पार्टी (एकीकृत मार्क्सवादी-लेनिनवादी) |
CPN (UML) नेकपा (एमाले) |
Madan Bhandari (first) K. P. Sharma Oli (current) |
6 January 1991 8 March 2021 |
17 May 2018 | Marxism–Leninism People's Multiparty Democracy |
Merged with the CPN (MC) to form the Nepal Communist Party in 2018, refounded in 2021 | ||
Nepal Communist Party नेपाल कम्युनिष्ट पार्टी |
NCP नेकपा |
K. P. Sharma Oli Pushpa Kamal Dahal |
17 May 2018 | 8 March 2021 | Marxism–Leninism People's Multiparty Democracy Prachanda Path Democratic centralism Secularism Federalism |
Dissolved as a result of internal conflicts in 2021 | |||
San Marino (1945-1957, 1978-1992) |
Sammarinese Communist Party Partidul Comuniștilor din Republica Moldova |
PCS | Ermenegildo Gasperoni | 22 October 1993 | Communism | Deposed by coup d'etat orchestrated by Italy and America in Fatti di Rovereta |
Coalition partner or supporter
- Bulgaria (2005–2009, 2013–2014, 2021–2022) – Communist Party of Bulgaria, in coalition government as member of the Coalition for Bulgaria
- Finland (1944–1948, 1966–1970, 1970–1971, 1975–1976 and 1977–1982) – Finnish People's Democratic League, in coalition governments with numerous other parties
- France (1981–1989; 1997–2002) – French Communist Party as a part of the Union de la gauche and of the Gauche plurielle
- India (2004–2008) – Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Communist Party of India, in the coalition government of the United Progressive Alliance
- Iran (1946) – Tudeh Party of Iran, in the coalition government of Ahmad Qavam[1]
- Italy (1998–2001, 2006–2008) – Party of Italian Communists in the D'Alema I Cabinet, D'Alema II Cabinet, Amato II Cabinet with The Olive Tree; Communist Refoundation Party and Party of Italian Communists in the coalition government of The Union
- Mali (2005–2014) – Malian Party of Labour, participated in the Alliance for Democracy in Mali
- Norway (1945) – Communist Party of Norway in coalition government as member of Gerhardsen's First Cabinet led by the Labour Party
- Peru (2011–2016) – Peruvian Communist Party, in coalition governments as member of Peru Wins
- Portugal (2015–2019) – Portuguese Communist Party in support of the XXI Constitutional Government of Portugal led by the Socialist Party
- San Marino (1945–1957, 1978–1992) – Sammarinese Communist Party, in coalition government with Sammarinese Socialist Party
- Sri Lanka (1970–1975, 1994–2000, 2004–2015 and 2020–2022) – Communist Party of Sri Lanka and Lanka Sama Samaja Party, in coalition governments with numerous other parties
- Uruguay (2005–2020) – Communist Party of Uruguay and People's Victory Party, in coalition governments as members of the Broad Front
Modern non-ruling
- All-Union Communist Party, All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks), Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Bolshevik Platform of the KPSS[17]
Formerly communist
Country | Before | Turned[lower-alpha 1] | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Angola | Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola | same name | Has abandoned Marxist-Leninism for social democracy |
National Union for the Total Independence of Angola | same name | Abandoned Marxism-Leninism for social democracy and then for social conservatism | |
Brazil | Popular Socialist Party | Cidadania | Has abandoned Marxism-Leninism for social democracy and later social liberalism |
Bulgaria | Bulgarian Communist Party | Bulgarian Socialist Party | Has abandoned Marxism-Leninism for social democracy |
Cambodia | Kampuchean Revolutionary People's Party | Cambodian People's Party | Has abandoned Marxism-Leninism for centrism |
Congo | Congolese Party of Labour | same name | Has abandoned Marxism-Leninism for social democracy |
Croatia | League of Communists of Croatia | Social Democratic Party | Has abandoned Marxism-Leninism-Titoism for social democracy |
Kazakhstan | Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan | People's Party of Kazakhstan | Has abandoned Marxism-Leninism for democratic socialism |
Madagascar | Vanguard of the Malagasy Revolution | Malagasy Revolutionary Party | Has abandoned Marxism-Leninism for social democracy |
Mongolia | Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party | Mongolian People's Party | Has abandoned Marxist-Leninism for social democracy |
Montenegro | League of Communists of Montenegro | Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro | Has abandoned Marxism-Leninism-Titoism for social democracy and later neoliberalism |
Morocco | Party of Progress and Socialism | same name | Has abandoned Marxism-Leninism for democratic socialism |
Mozambique | FRELIMO | same name | Has abandoned Marxism-Leninism for democratic socialism |
Serbia | League of Communists of Serbia | Socialist Party of Serbia | Has abandoned Marxism-Leninism-Titoism for social democracy |
Slovenia | League of Communists of Slovenia | Social Democrats | Has abandoned Marxism-Leninism-Titoism for social democracy |
Yemen | Yemeni Socialist Party | same name | Has abandoned Marxism-Leninism for social democracy |
Defunct
Once ruling
State | Defunct Party | Notes |
---|---|---|
Afghanistan | People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan | |
Albania | Party of Labour of Albania | Succeeded by Socialist Party of Albania |
Benin | People's Revolutionary Party of Benin | |
Bulgaria | Bulgarian Communist Party | Succeeded by the Bulgarian Socialist Party |
Cambodia | Communist Party of Kampuchea | |
Czechoslovakia | Communist Party of Czechoslovakia | Czech Republic branch became the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia, and the Slovak branch became the Party of the Democratic Left |
Ethiopia | Workers' Party of Ethiopia | |
Germany | ||
Grenada | New Jewel Movement | |
Hungary | Hungarian Working People's Party | |
Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party | Became the Hungarian Socialist Party | |
Poland | Polish United Workers' Party | |
Romania | Romanian Communist Party | |
Somalia | Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party | |
Soviet Union | Communist Party of the Soviet Union | Formerly the Bolshevik faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party |
Yugoslavia | League of Communists of Yugoslavia |
Non-ruling
- Armenia – Armenian Workers Communist Party, Armenian Workers Union, Marxist Party of Armenia, Union of Communists of Armenia, Renewed Communist Party of Armenia
- Australia – Communist Party of Australia
- Barbados- Workers Party of Barbados
- Basque Country – Auzolan, Communist Movement of Euskadi, Communist Party of the Basque Homelands, Euskadiko Sozialisten Batasuna, Euskal Herriko Alderdi Sozialista, Euskal Iraultzarako Alderdia, Eusko Alderdi Sozialista, Herriko Alderdi Sozialista, Navarrese Left Union, Party of the Revolutionary Patriotic Workers, People's Socialist Revolutionary Party
- Belgium – Union of Marxist–Leninist Communists of Belgium, founded in 1970[3][4]
- Belgium – Communist Party of Belgium – Marxist–Leninist, founded in 1976.
- Brazil – Free Homeland Party
- Bulgaria – Bulgarian Communist Party – Marxists
- Burkina Faso – African Independence Party (Burkina Faso), Burkinabé Bolshevik Party, Burkinabé Communist Group, Marxist–Leninist Group, Organization for Popular Democracy – Labour Movement, Party for Democracy and Socialism, Party of Labour of Burkina, Patriotic League for Development, Union of Burkinabé Communists, Union of Communist Struggles, Union of Communist Struggles – Reconstructed, Union of Communist Struggles – The Flame, Voltaic Communist Organization
- Canada – Labor-Progressive Party (legal front of the Communist Party of Canada from 1943 to 1959), Workers' Communist Party of Canada
- Channel Islands – Jersey Communist Party
- Chile – Chilean Communist Party (Proletarian Action), Revolutionary Left Movement
- Colombia – Workers Revolutionary Party of Colombia
- Costa Rica – Costa Rican People's Party
- Cyprus – Communist Party of Cyprus
- Cuba – Popular Socialist Party, joined Cuban Communist Party
- El Salvador – Communist Party of El Salvador, merged into the FMLN
- Eswatini – Swaziland Communist Party
- Gambia – Gambia Socialist Revolutionary Party
- Georgia – Revived Communist Party of Georgia, Georgian Workers Communist Party
- Germany – Spartacist League formed in 1918 and became the Communist Party of Germany
- West Germany – Socialist Unity Party of West Berlin, Communist Party of Germany (banned 1956 in West Germany)
- Guatemala – Guatemalan Party of Labour, merged into the URNG
- Haiti – Haitian Communist Party, Haitian Workers Party, Unified Party of Haitian Communists, merged into the National Reconstruction Movement in 1990
- Honduras – Communist Party of Honduras, merged into the Patriotic Renewal Party
- Iceland – Communist Party of Iceland, Communist Party of Iceland (Marxist–Leninist)
- India – Indian Communist Party (Sen)
- Indonesia – Communist Party of Indonesia
- Ireland – Communist Party of Ireland (Marxist–Leninist)
- Iraq – Leninist Group in the Iraqi Communist Movement
- Israel – Maki (1948–1973) split in 1965 with formation of largely Arab Rakah which changed its name to Maki in 1989
- Italy – Communist Party of Italy, Italian Communist Party of the Julian March, Marxist–Leninist Italian Communist Party, Marxist–Leninist Revolutionary Party of Italy, Movement for Peace and Socialism, Movement for the Confederation of the Communists
- Lebanon – Lebanese People's Party
- Malaysia – Malayan Communist Party, North Kalimantan Communist Party
- Mexico – Mexican Communist Party
- Moldova – Communist Reformers Party of Moldova
- Myanmar – Communist Party (Burma)
- Namibia – Communist Party of Namibia
- New Caledonia - New Caledonian Communist Party[5]
- Netherlands – Communist Party of the Netherlands merged into the GroenLinks in 1989, marxist-leninist dissidents within the party formed the NCPN in 1992.
- New Zealand – Communist Party of New Zealand, Socialist Unity Party
- Nigeria – Nigerian Communist Party, Socialist Workers and Farmers Party of Nigeria
- North Korea – Workers' Party of North Korea
- Norway – Workers' Communist Party merged into the Red Party
- Palestine – Communist Party of Palestine (1921–1948)
- Poland – Communist Party of Poland
- Saudi Arabia – Communist Party in Saudi Arabia
- South Korea – Workers' Party of South Korea
- Switzerland – Party of Labour Basel, founded in 1944
- Taiwan – Taiwanese Communist Party, China Communist Alliance, Communist Party of the Republic of China, Taiwan Democratic Communist Party
- Tatarstan – Communist Party of the Republic of Tatarstan
- Thailand – Communist Party of Thailand
- Transnistria (unrecognized country) – Communist Party of Transnistria
- Trieste – Communist Party of the Free Territory of Trieste, merged into the Italian Communist Party
- Trinidad and Tobago – Communist Party of Trinidad and Tobago
- United Kingdom – Communist Party of Great Britain, Communist Party of Scotland
- United States – Communist Party Marxist–Leninist, May 19th Communist Movement, Communist Workers Party, Black Panther Party, Communist Labor Party of America, International Socialist Organization
Left communist organizations by country
The following is a list of left communist organizations by country which list only those political organizations and parties who officially call themselves left communist ideologically and still exist.
Organisations
Country | Organizations |
---|---|
Ideologically left communist organizations | |
Italy | International Communist Party Lotta Comunista Communist Party (Italy) Italian Communist Party Party Of The Communist Refoundation |
Iran | Internationalist Voice |
United Kingdom | Communist Workers' Organisation World Revolution |
United States | International Communist Party Internationalism Internationalist Workers Group Workers Offensive |
Venezuela | Communist Party of Venezuela |
See also
Notes
- Ideologically transformed parties which are currently in power
References
- Abrahamian, Ervand (1982). Iran Between Two Revolutions. Princeton University Press. pp. 234–237. ISBN 0-691-10134-5.
- "Peru confirms new moderate-left cabinet". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2022-04-12.
- "Syndicalisme de combat et parti révolutionnaire". Anticapitalist Left (in French). Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- "Emall NL" (in Dutch). Marxistische universiteit. Archived 15 January 2006 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- Kurtovitch, Ismet (2000). "A Communist Party in New Caledonia (1941-1948)". The Journal of Pacific History. 35 (2): 163–179. doi:10.1080/002233400445779. JSTOR 25169484. S2CID 153697401.
External links
- Leftist Parties of the World (last updated 4 October 2006)
- Communist States animation (1850–2016)