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National Progressive Party Kansallinen Edistyspuolue | |
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| Founded | 8 December 1918 |
| Dissolved | 1951 |
| Split from | Young Finnish Party |
| Succeeded by | People's Party of Finland |
| Ideology | Social liberalism Republicanism |
| Political position | Centre to centre-left |
| International affiliation | International Entente of Radical and Similar Democratic Parties |
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The National Progressive Party (Finnish : Kansallinen Edistyspuolue; Swedish : Framstegspartiet) was a liberal [1] political party in Finland from 1918 to 1951. The party was founded 8 December 1918, after the Finnish Civil War, by the republican majority of the Young Finnish Party and the republican minority of the Finnish Party [2] (the next day the monarchists of both parties founded the National Coalition Party. [2] )
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In December 1918, the National Progressive Party adopted a social liberal programme that contained a wide range of progressive proposals. Amongst others, [3] these included land reform, state job creation work and unemployment schemes, state participation in the provision of housing-building schemes and compulsory sickness insurance pensions, legislation guaranteeing contracts, conditions of work and a minimum wage, and a progressive income and wealth tax to pay for this social reform programme. As noted by one study, “The spirit of the NPP’s programme, in short, was clearly that of social liberalism.” [4] Later programmes adopted by the National Progressive Party contained a number of reformist proposals as well. [5]
Famous members of the party included Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg and Risto Ryti, the first and fifth Presidents of Finland, and Sakari Tuomioja.
The National Progressive Party finished its existence in early 1951, as most of its active members had joined the People's Party of Finland. A minority group including Sakari Tuomioja founded the Liberal League.
