List of communist parties

There are a number of Communist parties active in various countries across the world, and a number who used to be active. The formation of Communist parties in various countries was first initiated by the formation of the Communist Third International by the Russian Bolsheviks. Undoubtedly the most important of these parties were those of the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China.

Some Communist parties have names such as Workers World Party, Socialist Party, Progressive Party, etc. Most, but not all, of the parties on this list are those that were aligned with either Moscow or Beijing during the Cold War and their offshoots. Groups currently and exclusively participating in the Trotskyist tradition are not included in the listing.

See also: World Communist Movement, List of left-wing internationals, List of Trotskyist internationals, List of members of the Comintern, List of left communist internationals

Ruling parties
In the following countries, the Communist parties either lead the ruling coalition or hold monopoly on state power.


 * China– Communist Party of China leads the United Front
 * Cyprus– Progressive Party of Working People– leads the ruling coalition
 * Cuba– Communist Party of Cuba
 * Laos– Lao People's Revolutionary Party
 * Nepal– Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) and Communist Party of Nepal (United) lead the governing coalition. Janamorcha Nepal, and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unity Centre-Masal), are also part of the coalition.
 * North Korea– Korean Workers' Party– leads the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland
 * Vietnam– Communist Party of Vietnam– leads the Vietnamese Fatherland Front

Communist parties as part of other ruling coalition
In Cyprus, the ruling Communist party didn't come to power by fommenting a successful revolution, but ratherby being elected to power and thus operate according to the norms of a multi-party system. In Nepal, the ruling Communist parties participate in a multi-party coalition government, an alliance of 22 parties that holds 350 seats in the 601-member constituent assembly. There are also some parties that participate as junior partners in ruling coalitions, as listed below.


 * Brazil– Communist Party of Brazil– participates in the ruling coalition
 * Peru– Peruvian Communist Party– participates in the ruling coalition
 * South Africa– South African Communist Party– participates in the ruling coalition
 * Sri Lanka– Communist Party of Sri Lanka– participates in the ruling coalition
 * Syria– Syrian Communist Party (Bakdash), Syrian Communist Party (Faisal)– participates in the ruling coalition
 * Ukraine– Communist Party of Ukraine– participates in the ruling coalition
 * Uruguay– Communist Party of Uruguay– participates in the ruling coalition

Formerly ruling

 * 🇦🇫 Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of (1978-1992) -People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan
 * 🇦🇱 Albania, People's Socialist Republic of (1946-1991) - Albanian Party of Labour
 * 🇦🇴 Angola, People's Republic of (1975-1992) - abandoned Marxism-Leninism for social democracy - Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola
 * 🇧🇯 Benin, People's Republic of (1975-1990) - People's Revolutionary Party of Benin
 * 🇧🇬 Bulgaria, People's Republic of (1946-1990) - Bulgarian Communist Party (known from 1938 to 1948 as the Bulgarian Workers Party)
 * 🇨🇱 Chile (1970-1973) - Communist Party of Chile– participated in the ruling coalition
 * Czechoslovakia, Socialist Republic of (1948-1990) - Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, Communist Party of Slovakia
 * 🇪🇹 Ethiopia, People's Democratic Republic (1974-1991) - Workers' Party of Ethiopia
 * German Democratic Republic (East Germany) (1949-1990) - Socialist Unity Party of Germany
 * Hungarian Soviet Republic (1919) - Hungarian Communist Party
 * 🇭🇺 Hungarian People's Republic (1949-1989) - Hungarian Working People's Party, Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party
 * 🇰🇭 Kampuchea, People's Republic (1979-1993) - Cambodian People's Party
 * Lithuanian-Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (1919) - Communist Party (bolsheviks) of Lithuania and Belorussia
 * Moldova (2001-2009) – Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova– lead the ruling coalition
 * 🇲🇳 Mongolian People's Republic (1924-1992) - Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party
 * 🇲🇿 Mozambique, People's Republic of (1975-1992) abandoned Marxism-Leninism for social democracy - FRELIMO
 * 🇵🇱 Poland, People's Republic of (1944-1989) - Polish United Workers Party
 * 🇷🇴 Romania, Socialist Republic of (1947-1989) (known as People's Republic of Romania before 1965) - Romanian Communist Party (Romanian Workers Party until 1965)
 * 🇸🇲 San Marino (1945-1957) - Sammarinese Communist Party
 * Soviet Union (1922-1991) - Communist Party of the Soviet Union
 * Ukrainian SSR (1918) - Communist Party (Bolshevik) of Ukraine, became part of the Russian Communist Party (bolshevik)
 * Yemen, People's Democratic Republic of (1969-1990) - Yemeni Socialist Party
 * SFR Yugoslavia (1945-1992) - League of Communists of Yugoslavia
 * Turkmenistan– Communist Party of Turkmenistan, now renamed Democratic Party of Turkmenistan

Modern (Non ruling)

 * Afghanistan - Democratic Party of Afghanistan, All Nation Movement for Democracy and Progress of Afghanistan
 * Albania - Communist Party of Albania
 * Algeria - Algerian Party for Democracy and Socialism
 * Argentina - Communist Party of Argentina, Revolutionary Communist Party of Argentina
 * Armenia - Armenian Communist Party, United Communist Party of Armenia
 * Australia - Communist Party of Australia, Communist Party of Australia (Marxist-Leninist)
 * Austria - Communist Party of Austria, Communist Initiative
 * Azerbaijan - Azerbaijan Communist Party, Reformist Communist Party of Azerbaijan, United Communist Party of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan Communist Party (on Platform of Marxism-Leninism)
 * Bahrain - National Liberation Front of Bahrain
 * Bangladesh - Communist Party of Bangladesh, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Socialist Party of Bangladesh (BASOD)
 * Belarus - Communist Party of Belarus
 * Belgium - Kommunistische Partij, Parti Communiste, Workers Party of Belgium
 * Bhutan - Bhutan Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist)
 * Bosnia and Herzegovina - Workers' Communist Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina
 * Brazil - Brazilian Communist Party
 * Bulgaria - Communist Party of Bulgaria
 * Burma - Communist Party of Burma (illegal)
 * Canada - Communist Party of Canada, Communist Party of Quebec, Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist)
 * Chile - Communist Party of Chile and Chilean Communist Party (Proletarian Action)
 * Colombia - Colombian Communist Party, Clandestine Colombian Communist Party
 * Costa Rica - Popular Vanguard Party, Costa Rican People's Party
 * Croatia - Socialist Labour Party of Croatia (among other left movements, it represents Croatia's Eurocommunists and New left)
 * Czech Republic - Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia
 * Denmark - Communist Party of Denmark, Communist Party in Denmark, Communist Party
 * Dominican Republic - Force of the Revolution
 * Ecuador - Communist Party of Ecuador, Marxist-Leninist Communist Party of Ecuador, Workers' Party of Ecuador
 * Egypt - Communist Party of Egypt
 * Finland - Communist Party of Finland, For Peace and Socialism - Communist Workers Party, League of Communists
 * France - French Communist Party, Pole of Communist Rebirth in France, Workers Communist Party of France
 * Georgia - Communist Party of Georgia, Georgian United Communist Party, New Communist Party of Georgia
 * Germany - German Communist Party, Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany, Communist Party of Germany, Communist Platform (Part of Left Party)
 * Greece - Communist Party of Greece (KKE)
 * Guadeloupe - Guadeloupe Communist Party
 * Hungary - Hungarian Communist Workers' Party
 * India - Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (Maoist), Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist), Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) New Democracy, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (Kanu Sanyal)
 * Iran - Tudeh Party of Iran
 * Iraq - Iraqi Communist Party, Iraqi Communist Party - Cadre, Iraqi Communist Party - Central Command
 * Ireland - Communist Party of Ireland, Workers' Party of Ireland
 * Israel - Communist Party of Israel which dominates the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash)
 * Italy - Communist Refoundation Party, Party of Italian Communists, Italian Marxist-Leninist Party
 * Japan - Japanese Communist Party
 * Jordan - Communist Party of Jordan, Jordanian Democratic People's Party, Communist Workers' Party of Jordan
 * Kazakhstan - Communist Party of Kazakhstan, People's Communist Party of Kazakhstan
 * Kurdistan (autonomous region) - Kurdistan Communist Party, Kurdistan Workers Party - illegal
 * Kyrgyzstan - Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan, Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan
 * Latvia– Socialist Party of Latvia
 * Lebanon - Lebanese Communist Party
 * Lesotho - Communist Party of Lesotho
 * Luxembourg - Communist Party of Luxemburg
 * Malta - Communist Party of Malta
 * Martinique - Communist Party of Martinique
 * Mexico - Popular Socialist Party, Party of Mexican Communists
 * Moldova– Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova
 * Mongolia - Mongolian Communist Party
 * Montenegro - League of Communists of Yugoslavia - Communists of Montenegro, New Communist Party of Montenegro
 * Morocco - Annahj Addimocrati
 * Nagorno-Karabakh (unrecognized country) - Communist Party of Nagorno Karabakh
 * Netherlands - New Communist Party of the Netherlands
 * New Zealand - Socialist Party of Aotearoa, Workers Party of New Zealand
 * Norway - Communist Party of Norway, Red
 * Palestine - Palestinian People's Party, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
 * Panama - People's Party of Panama
 * Paraguay - Paraguayan Communist Party
 * Pakistan - Communist Mazdoor Kisan Party, Communist Party of Pakistan
 * Peru - Communist Party of Peru (Red Fatherland), Communist Party of Peru, Shining Path
 * Philippines - Communist Party of the Philippines, Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas-1930
 * Poland - Communist Party of Poland
 * Portugal - Portuguese Communist Party, Communist Party of the Portuguese Workers - Reorganizative Movement of the Party of the Proletariat
 * Réunion - Communist Party of Réunion
 * Romania - Asociatia Romania Muncitoare, Comitetul Central de Organizare al Partidului U.C.R (Uniunea Comunistilor Romani)
 * Russia - Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Communist Workers Party of Russia, All-Union Communist Party Bolsheviks
 * San Marino - San Marino Communist Refoundation
 * Serbia - New Communist Party of Yugoslavia, Party of Communists of Serbia, Party of Labour (Serbia)
 * Senegal - Party of Independence and Labour
 * Slovakia - Communist Party of Slovakia, Dawn
 * Spain - Communist Party of Spain, Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain
 * Sudan - Communist Party of the Sudan
 * Sweden - Communist Party of Sweden, Socialist Justice Party, Workers' Party (Sweden), Workers' Party (Sweden)
 * Switzerland - Swiss Party of Labour
 * Sri Lanka - Communist Party of Sri Lanka
 * Taiwan - Taiwan Communist Party, Communist Party of Republic of China
 * Tajikistan - Communist Party of Tajikistan
 * Transnistria (unrecognized country) - Pridnestrovie Communist Party, Communist Party of Pridnestrovie
 * Tunisia - Tunisian Workers' Communist Party (PCOT)
 * Turkey - Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), Marxist-Leninist Communist Party
 * Turkmenistan - Communist Party of Turkmenistan - illegal
 * Ukraine - Communist Party of Ukraine, Communist Party of Ukraine (renewed), Marxist-Leninist Party of Ukraine
 * United Kingdom - Communist Party of Britain, Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist) Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist), Communist Party of Scotland, New Communist Party of Britain, Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist), Communist League of Great Britain, Revolutionary Communist Group, Spartacist League of Britain
 * United States - Workers World Party, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Progressive Labor Party, U.S. Marxist-Leninist Organization, Revolutionary Communist Party, Workers Party, Party for Socialism and Liberation, Communist Party USA, Socialist Workers Party (formerly Trotskyist)
 * Uzbekistan - Communist Party of Uzbekistan - illegal

Former

 * Afghanistan - Parcham faction of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan, became Democratic Watan Party of Afghanistan
 * Albania - Party of Labour of Albania, became Socialist Party of Albania
 * Brazil - Brazilian Communist Party, became Popular Socialist Party
 * Bulgaria - Bulgarian Communist Party, became Bulgarian Socialist Party
 * Cambodia - Cambodian People's Party
 * Estonia - Communist Party of Estonia, Communist Party of Estonia (on CPSU platform)
 * Ethiopia - All-Ethiopian Socialist Movement
 * Germany (East) - Socialist Unity Party of Germany, became Party of Democratic Socialism, and is now known as "The Left".
 * Hungary - Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party, became Hungarian Socialist Party
 * Iceland - Popular Alliance
 * Italy - Italian Communist Party, became the Democratic Party of the Left, which later merged into the Democrats of the Left, which in turn merged into the Democratic Party
 * Mongolia - Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party
 * Nicaragua - Socialist Party of Nicaragua
 * Sweden - Left Party - Communists, became Left Party
 * Palestine - Palestine Communist Party, became Palestinian People's Party
 * Poland - Polish United Workers Party, became Alliance of the Democratic Left
 * Romania - Communist Party of Romania, became National Salvation Front the descendants of which are Democratic Liberal Party and Social Democratic Party
 * San Marino - Communist Party of San Marino, became Party of Democrats
 * Tunisia - Tunisian Communist Party, became Movement for Renewal
 * Yemen - Yemeni Socialist Party

Defunct (ruling)

 * Czechoslovakia - Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, Czech Republic branch became Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia and Slovak branch became the Party of the Democratic Left
 * Soviet Union - Communist Party of the Soviet Union, previously the Bolshevik faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party
 * Yugoslavia - League of Communists of Yugoslavia

Defunct (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
 * Britain - Communist Party of Great Britain
 * Brazil - Revolutionary Brazilian Communist Party
 * Canada - Labour-Progressive Party founded in 1943 when Communist Party of Canada was banned (resumed former name in 1959), Workers' Communist Party of Canada
 * Channel Islands - Communist Party of Jersey
 * Republic of China (Taiwan) - Taiwanese Communist Party
 * Cuba - Popular Socialist Party, joined Cuban Communist Party
 * El Salvador - Communist Party of El Salvador, merged into the FMLN
 * Free Territory of Trieste - Communist Party of the Free Territory of Trieste, merged into the Italian Communist Party
 * Georgia - Revived Communist Party of Georgia, Georgian Workers Communist Party
 * Germany - Spartacist League formed in 1918 and became the Communist Party of Germany
 * Germany (West) - 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 - Unified Party of Haitian Communists, merged into the National Reconstruction Movement in 1990
 * Honduras - Communist Party of Honduras, merged into the Partido Renovación Patriótica
 * Iceland - Communist Party of Iceland
 * Indonesia - Communist Party of Indonesia
 * Ireland - Communist Party of Ireland (Marxist-Leninist)
 * 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
 * Lebanon - Lebanese People's Party
 * Malaysia - Malayan Communist Party, North Kalimantan Communist Party
 * Mexico - Mexican Communist Party, Marxist-Leninist Centre in Mexico
 * Namibia - Communist Party of Namibia
 * Netherlands - Communist Party of the Netherlands merged into GroenLinks in 1989
 * New Zealand - Communist Party of New Zealand, Socialist Unity Party
 * Nigeria - Socialist Workers and Farmers Party of Nigeria
 * Norway - Workers' Communist Party merged into Rødt
 * Palestine - Communist Party of Palestine (1921-1948)
 * Poland - Communist Party of Poland
 * Saudi Arabia - Communist Party in Saudi Arabia
 * Tatarstan - Communist Party of the Republic of Tatarstan
 * Thailand - Communist Party of Thailand
 * United States - Communist Party Marxist-Leninist, May 19th Communist Movement, Communist Workers Party, Black Panther Party, Communist Labor Party