SDP’s history
SDP was founded in Turku in 1899 as the Finnish Labour Party. The current name, the Social Democratic Party of Finland, Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue, was adopted in 1903 after the party congress in Forssa. The congress adopted the party's first political platform, the famous Forssa Programme.
Our history in government
Governments in Finland have mostly been multi-party governments. SDP was in government in 1916–1917 and 1926. From 1937 all the way to the 2000s, SDP participated in almost every government apart from the years of the party split in 1957–1966 and the time in opposition that lasted for the parliamentary term of 1991–1995. Our party was in opposition for the parliamentary terms of 2007–2011 and 2015–2019.
In the parliamentary elections of 2019, SDP became the biggest party and formed a majority government with the Centre Party, the Green League, the Left Alliance, and the Swedish People’s Party of Finland.
SDP Prime Ministers
Sanna Marin (2019–)
Antti Rinne (2019)
Paavo Lipponen (1995–1999, 1999–2003)
Kalevi Sorsa (1972–1975, 1977–1979 ja 1982–1987)
Mauno Koivisto (1968–1970 ja 1979–1982)
Rafael Paasio (1966–1968 ja 1972)
Karl-August Fagerholm (1948–1950, 1956–1957 ja 1958–1959)
Väinö Tanner (1926–1927)
SDP Presidents
Tarja Halonen (2000–2012)
Martti Ahtisaari (1994–2000)
Mauno Koivisto (1982–1994)