Left Party
Vänsterpartiet |
|
---|---|
Abbreviation | V |
Leader | Jonas Sjöstedt |
Founded | 1917 |
Split from | Swedish Social Democratic Party |
Headquarters | 84, |
Youth wing | Young Left |
Ideology |
Socialism Feminism Euroscepticism |
Political position | Left-wing |
European affiliation | Nordic Green Left Alliance |
International affiliation | None |
European Parliament group | GUE/NGL |
Colours | Red |
Riksdag |
21 / 349
|
European Parliament |
1 / 20
|
County councils |
116 / 1,597
|
Municipal councils |
750 / 12,780
|
Website | |
http://www.vansterpartiet.se/ | |
The Left Party (Swedish: Vänsterpartiet, V) is a socialist and feminist political party in Sweden on an ecological basis, founded in 1917 following a split from the Swedish Social Democratic Party. The party has had many names throughout its history. In 1917 the party's name was Swedish Social Democratic Left Party (Sveriges socialdemokratiska vänsterparti, SSV). It became the Communist Party of Sweden in 1921, the Left Party – Communists in 1967, and adopted its current name in 1990. Since its foundation, the party so far have never been part of a coalition government on the national level.
On welfare issues, the party opposes privatizations. Moreover, the party was against accession to the European Union and wants Sweden to leave the European Union. It advocates increased public expenditure, and attempted to get Sweden to join the Non-Aligned Movement in 1980, but it did not succeed.
From 1998 to 2006, the Left Party was in a confidence and supply arrangement with the ruling Social Democrats and the Green Party. Until then it also supported the minority government of Social Democrats and Greens in the Swedish parliament, as well as in many of Sweden's counties and municipalities.
The Left Party is a member of the Nordic Green Left Alliance, and its single MEP sits in the European United Left–Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) group.