The (''Svenska folkpartiet (SFP)'' in
Swedish or ''Ruotsalainen kansanpuolue (RKP)'' in
Finnish ) is a Swedish
Minority and mainly
Liberal party in
Finland . The party is a member of
Liberal International and the
European Liberal Democrat And Reform Party .
The Swedish People's Party was founded by
Axel Lille in
1906 , making it one of the oldest parties in Finland. The current leader of the party is
Jan-Erik Enestam . In the
Parliament Of Finland the representative for
Åland is usually included in SFP's parliamentary group, regardless of his/her party affiliation. (The political parties in Åland have no counterparts in
Mainland Finland , but SFP's interests are very similar to those of Åland.)
The party receives its main electoral support from the s.
The Swedish language enjoys a privileged position as one of the two
Official Language s of Finland. The SFP has as its main raison d'être the protection and strengthening of the position of
Swedish Of Finland .
The Swedish People's Party has the most eclectic profile of any of the political parties in Finland, its members and supporters including (chiefly):
- fishermen and farmers from the Swedish-speaking coastal areas,
- small-town dwellers from the adjacent Swedish-speaking towns,
- green-minded and left-leaning middle-class intellectuals and cultural elite, and
- rightist-inclined economic liberals from Helsinki .
Although SFP represents a small minority of Finland, Swedish mother tongue per se is not much of a political handicap. Several times Swedish speaking
President ial candidates have gathered considerable support, although not necessarily as candidates for the Swedish People's Party:
municipal elections poster]]
