View source for Communist Party of Sweden (1967)

{{About|the "Gnistan group" of 1967|other parties named "Communist Party of Sweden"|Communist Party of Sweden (disambiguation)}}
{{Third-party|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox political party
| name             = Communist League Marxists–Leninists
| colorcode        = {{party color|Communist Party of Sweden (1967)}}
| foundation       = 1967
| split            = [[Left Party (Sweden)|Left Party – the Communists]]
| position         = 
| ideology         = {{plainlist|
*[[Communism]]
*[[Marxism–Leninism]]
*[[Maoism]]
*[[Anti-revisionism]]}}
| country          = Sweden
}}

'''Kommunistiska Förbundet Marxist-Leninisterna''' ({{IPA|sv|kɔmɵˈnɪ̌sːtɪska fœrˈbɵ̌nːdɛt markˈsɪ̂sːtlɛnɪˌnɪstɛɳa|lang|Sv-Kommunistiska Förbundet Marxist-Leninisterna.ogg}}; '''KFML'''; {{langx|en|'''Communist League Marxists-Leninists'''}}) was formed at the 1967 party congress of [[Vänsterpartiet|VPK]], when a pro-Chinese group left the party.

==Party history==
===1967–1980===
[[File:Communist Party Sweden 1967.jpg|thumb|KFML press conference in Malmö, 1967]]
KFML was oriented towards the [[People's Republic of China]] and [[Marxism–Leninism]] as interpreted by [[Mao Zedong]], commonly known as [[Maoism]]. KFML was the first of the many [[New Left]]-groups that surged in [[Sweden]] during the 1960s and 1970s. KFML had a very important and leading role in the mass solidarity work with the [[Vietnamese people]].

In 1970, a left wing faction based in [[Gothenburg]] broke away and formed [[Kommunistiska Partiet Marxist-Leninisterna (Revolutionärerna)|KFML(r)]].

In 1973, KFML took the name '''Sveriges Kommunistiska Parti''' (Communist Party of Sweden), the old party name of VPK. SKP held its first party congress on 4–7 January 1973.<ref>[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/185841563 Dokument från Sveriges kommunistiska partis (SKP) första kongress 4-7 januari 1973. [WorldCat.org&#93;<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The second party congress was held in [[Gustavsberg, Värmdö Municipality|Gustavsberg]] on 15–19 April 1976.<ref>[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/3769248 Dokument från Sveriges kommunistiska partis andra kongress : [Gustavsberg, 15-19 april 1976&#93;. [WorldCat.org&#93;<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

In 1980, SKP suffered another split, when a group of critics were expelled on the issue of China. The expelled formed a new party, ''[[Sveriges Kommunistiska Parti (Marxist-Leninisterna)]]''.

===1980s===
{{Nordic ML}}
The 1980s meant crisis for SKP. They were divided on the issue of the new leadership in China, effectively under [[Deng Xiaoping]]. [[Vietnam]], which had meant so much in the solidarity work of KFML/SKP, and [[Cambodia]], "their" ally, had become involved in the [[Cambodian-Vietnamese War]], fighting against each other. And SKP, who had succeeded in getting famous in Swedish politics, had not been able to expand and get more than fractions of a percent in votes. From 1982 and onwards, they supported the [[Swedish Social Democratic Party]] in the national elections. Many members, both leaders and base militants left the movement. The party became seriously ideologically disoriented.

The 4th congress of the party was held on 16–17 June 1984. Roland Pettersson was elected chairman.

In the [[1985 Swedish general election|1985 general election]], the party won representation in the municipal councils in [[Gällivare]] (1 seat), [[Mariestad]] (2 seats), [[Vallentuna]] (1 seat), [[Laxå]], [[Vadstena]] and [[Sigtuna]] (2 seats).

At the 5th congress of the party (31 October – 2 November 1986) SKP changed its name to '''Solidaritetspartiet''' (The Solidarity Party), and adopted a non-communist programme. The new name was registered on 28 November. It is probable that the name was inspired by the [[Poland|Polish]] [[Solidarity (Polish trade union)|Solidarity]] movement under [[Lech Wałęsa]], as the party supported their struggle. There was a small section who wanted to keep the old name. There were also other, alternative proposals, such as ''Demokratiska Socialister'' (the runner-up proposal), ''Sveriges Socialistiska Vänsterparti'' and ''Sveriges Revolutionära Socialister''. The name of the party publication was changed to ''Solidaritets-Gnistan'' and became a triweekly. The [[Mariestad]] branch of the party, which had municipal representation, broke with the{{clarify|date=May 2017|reason=missing words?}} and formed [[Municipal Left (Mariestad)|Municipal Left]]. The Mariestad branch had objected to the decision by the congress to remove the ban on local organizations to receive government financing.
[[File:Swedish left groups.gif|thumb|353x353px|Splits within the Swedish left during the last century.]]

The 5th congress elected the following central committee:
* Jan-Olof Norell (chairman)
* Inga Allard
* Björn Fredriksson
* Tomas Jonsson
* Tomas Junkka
* Göran Lundin
* Lars-Åke Lönn
* Lisa Norman
* Lars Ströman
* Pia Ryberg
* Sanna Vestin
* Göran Wicksell

In the [[1988 Swedish general election|1988 general election]], the party contested the municipal elections in [[Sigtuna]] and [[Vallentuna]]. In [[Laxå]] party took part in the elections as [[Municipal Left (Laxå)|Municipal Left]] (''Kommunal Vänster''), on the list "''[[Left Party (Sweden)|VPK]]/Kommunal Vänster''" a cooperation between the party and VPK. In [[Katrineholm]], the party contested on the list of "''[[VPK-Kommunal Vänster]]''", together with VPK, [[Socialist Party (Sweden)|SP]] and independents. In [[Hammarö Municipality|Hammarö]] it contested on the list of "''[[Vänsterpartiet Kommunisterna/Kommunal Vänster]]''". In [[Gällivare]] the party contested on the lists of [[United Socialists]].

In Vallentuna the vore-share increased from 414 to 596 (4.7%). The party got two seats, and Norell and Wicksell became municipal councillors. In Sigtuna the seat of the party was retained, and the vote-share increased from 300 to 350. The party lost its municipal representation in Gällivare. ''VPK/Kommunal Vänster'' won five seats in Laxå. In Hammarö ''VPK/Kommunal Vänster'' won three seats. ''VPK-Kommunal Vänster'' failed to win any seat in Katrineholm.

===Decline to obscurity===
Ahead of the party congress on 4–5 November 1989, the central committee had proposed that the party be disbanded. By this time the party had only a handful of functioning local units, and there was a strong trend towards dissolving the national organization and let the local units continue to function on the municipal left in cooperation with other forces. The congress did however not approve that suggestion. The congress also decided that ''Solidaritets-Gnistan'' would cease to function as an external publication. The congress elected the following central committee:
* Jan-Olof Norell (chairman)
* Inga Allard
* Christin Almgren
* Leif Franzén
* Björn Fredriksson
* Tomas Jonsson
* Pia Ryberg
* Lars Ströman
* Anna-Maria Valladolid
* Göran Wicksell
* Sanna Vestin

In the new central committee, 4 out of 11 members came from Vallentuna. The congress also decided that another congress would convene in the summer of 1990 to decide the future of the party.

The last issue of ''Solidaritets-Gnistan'' was published on 13 December 1989.

By 1990, the party ceased to function as a nationwide party. The party transformed into an entirely municipal party in Vallentuna. Solidaritetspartiet ran in the municipal elections in Vallentuna until 1994, when they got 6% and 3 seats. They did not run in the 1998 elections.

==Youth wing==
Initially [[Swedish Clarté League|Clarté]] functioned as the youth and students wing of the party. Later ''Röd Ungdom'' (Red Youth, RU) was founded as the youth league of SKP. It published a magazine called Rödluvan (Little Red Ridinghood).

RU held its fourth congress on 24–25 April 1982. Notably the congress opposed the party line of voting in favour of the Social Democrats in the upcoming elections. Instead the youth wing appealed for [[blank vote|blank voting]]. A resolution adopted by the congress read "...none of the parliamentary parties will fix the future of the Swedish youth. The future is decided by the organisation and struggle of the youth". A three-member delegation of the SKP party leadership was present at the congress, but were unable to convince RU to support the party line.<ref>''Kommunistiska Arbetartidningen'', 3/1982, p. 16.</ref>

RU held a fifth, extraordinary, congress in 1983. By that time the youth wing was in bad shape. Representatives from 15 local units took part in the congress. The congress approved the merger of [[Marxist-Leninistiska Kampförbundet|MLK]] into RU.<ref>''Kommunistiska Arbetartidningen'', 2/1983, p. 16.</ref>

At the time of the 1988 elections youth group was formed in Vallentuna, Solidarity Party Youth League (SPUF).

==See also==
* [[Marxist–Leninist Front]]
* [[List of anti-revisionist groups]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Swedish Communism}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Political parties established in 1967]]
[[Category:1967 establishments in Sweden]]
[[Category:Anti-revisionist organizations]]
[[Category:Defunct communist parties in Sweden]]
[[Category:Maoist organizations in Europe]]