left party

The Left Party (Vnsterpartiet, often abbreviated as (v)) is a political party in Sweden. The Left Party, formerly the Communist Left Party (Vnsterpartiet 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. Vnsterpartiet 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. Factional tension and controversy following the election of Communist Lars Ohly as party leader in early 2004, prompted a small local branch in Gnesta Municipality on March 28 to leave the organization and form a new party, Vnsterdemokraterna.

Party names

1917-1921 Sverges Socialdemokratiska Vnsterparti (SSV, Social Democratic Left Party of Sweden)
1921-1967 Sveriges Kommunistiska Parti (SKP, Communist Party of Sweden)
1967-1990 Vnsterpartiet Kommunisterna (VPK, Left Party - Communists)
1990- Vnsterpartiet (Left Party)