Thirty years ago, on 4–5 November 1995, Sweden’s communists took a decisive step that reaffirmed the revolutionary continuity of the workers’ movement in the country.
On those dates, the Party reclaimed the historic and principled name Communist Party of Sweden (Sveriges Kommunistiska Parti SKP) — a name long associated with the struggle for socialism and with the political force that represents the interests of the working class.
The anniversary highlights not only a moment in the Party’s organizational history, but a political victory after decades marked by opportunism within parts of the communist movement. When revisionist trends gained ground in the mid-20th century, the revolutionary line was weakened and the traditional name was abandoned in favor of a more diluted identity. This shift symbolized a departure from the path of Marxism-Leninism and an adaptation to the bourgeois parliamentary system.
During the following years, maoist circles temporarily occupied the name SKP. But their political course soon followed the same pattern of retreat and abandonment, and the name once again stood unclaimed. That opening allowed the genuine communist movement — rooted in principle and continuity — to rightfully take back what belonged to it.
Reclaiming the name was not an act of nostalgia, nor a formality for legal registration. It was a renewed declaration of the Party’s mission: to carry forward the legacy of communists who have fought for workers’ power, dignity, and liberation in Sweden. By restoring the name, the Party restored the clear connection between its present struggles and those of its historical predecessors.
The SKP has emphasized that this name is not merely a symbol — it is a responsibility. It carries with it a commitment to remain the unwavering force of class struggle, to oppose reformism and opportunism in all forms, and to uphold the goal of a socialist transformation of society. The anniversary thus stands as a reminder: the communist movement in Sweden was never defeated, only challenged — and it rose again under its own rightful banner.
Today, Communist Party of Sweden (SKP) continues its work with confidence in the future. The name we honor is the name we earned back — a living link between the history of struggle and the victories yet to come.
During the following years, maoist circles temporarily occupied the name SKP. But their political course soon followed the same pattern of retreat and abandonment, and the name once again stood unclaimed. That opening allowed the genuine communist movement — rooted in principle and continuity — to rightfully take back what belonged to it.
Reclaiming the name was not an act of nostalgia, nor a formality for legal registration. It was a renewed declaration of the Party’s mission: to carry forward the legacy of communists who have fought for workers’ power, dignity, and liberation in Sweden. By restoring the name, the Party restored the clear connection between its present struggles and those of its historical predecessors.
The SKP has emphasized that this name is not merely a symbol — it is a responsibility. It carries with it a commitment to remain the unwavering force of class struggle, to oppose reformism and opportunism in all forms, and to uphold the goal of a socialist transformation of society. The anniversary thus stands as a reminder: the communist movement in Sweden was never defeated, only challenged — and it rose again under its own rightful banner.
Today, Communist Party of Sweden (SKP) continues its work with confidence in the future. The name we honor is the name we earned back — a living link between the history of struggle and the victories yet to come.
Information from skp.se
