The (Finnish: '''Suomen Keskusta''') is a
Centrist Political Party in
Finland . It is one of the three largest political parties in the country, along with the
Social Democrats (SDP) and the
Coalition Party . Currently the Centre Party has the most seats, 55 out of 200, in the
Finnish Parliament .
The party is a member of
Liberal International and the
European Liberal Democrat And Reform Party and subscribed to the liberal manifestos of these organisations. Its members in the
European Parliament are member of the
Alliance Of Liberals And Democrats For Europe . It gained initially an observer membership in Liberal International in
1983 after
Liberal People's Party had joined it in
1982 as a member organisation. Liberal People's Party quit Centre Party in
1986 , but Centre Party applied for full membership and got it in
1988 .
However, it can be disputed whether it takes the position of a
Liberal Party in the Finnish spectrum, as it is among the most
Conservative in many issues especially by the veteran politicians, as well as the most pro-
CAP party being the old
Agrarian party. A Finnish aphorism states that "there is such a thing as ''extreme centre''." According to its proponents, the party might still evolve into an undisputable liberal party, but the party most outspoken explicitly about liberalism represented in the
Parliament Of Finland is still the
Swedish People's Party , whereas the conservative Coalition Party hosts also proponents of the
Free Market . Additionally, the
Green League is among the most liberal groups, as far as
Social Liberalism is considered.
The party was founded in
1908 by Santeri Alkio and was then known as the or ''Maalaisliitto''. Nowadays the farmers have only a small portion of 5% of the votes given to the party and the Centre Party has the widest range in support when it comes to the professions. However, even today rural Finland and small towns are the strongest support area for the Centre Party, although it has been aiming toward a breakthrough in the big southern cities as well. The current
Prime Minister Of Finland is
Matti Vanhanen , who succeeded
Anneli Jäätteenmäki .
Although the party has an ideological background in the
19th Century Fennoman movement, the party is rather the direct continuation of the
Estate Of The Peasantry in the pre-
1906 Diet Of Finland .
