Estonian Left Party

Estonian Left Party Eesti Vasakpartei
Founded	December 19, 1990 (1990-12-19)
Dissolved	June 28, 2008 (2008-06-28)
Succeeded by	Estonian United Left Party
Headquarters	Tallinn 10510 Peapostkontor P. Box 4102
Ideology	Democratic socialism
Political position	Left-wing
European affiliation	Party of the European Left, New European Left Forum
Colours	red, green
Website
www.esdtp.ee
Politics of Estonia Political parties Elections

Estonian Left Party (Eesti Vasakpartei - EVP) was a left socialist political party in Estonia.

History

In June 1988 Communist Party of Estonia (EKP), i.e. the Estonian branch of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, chief Karl Vaino was replaced by the reform-minded Soviet Ambassador to Nicaragua Vaino Väljas, the former ideological secretary of the EKP. Some of the Estonian members declared that they were fighting for Estonian national interests and tried to contribute to the solving of Estonian problems.

• 1990 was registered the independent Estonian Communist Party (EKP)
• 1992 the congress of EKP renamed party to the Estonian Democratic Labour Party (EDTP).
• July 1995 EDLP joined New European Left Forum
• 1997 the party was renamed the Estonian Social Democratic Labour Party (ESDTP).
• 2004 ESDTP is a founding member of European Left party.
• December 2004 Estonian Social Democratic Labour Party changed the name to Estonian Left Party (EVP).

According to the statutes of party the party congress elects the Party Chairman and Executive board as well as nominates a consultative Central Council representing all regional organizations. Local policies are developed by local organizations, while central bodies formulate national policies.

EVP lost representatives in parliament on the 2003 elections when they got 2,059 votes (0,4%). In 2007 election, it fell further to 0,1% and again got no seats.

The party has been chaired by:

• Vaino Väljas (1992-1995)
• Hillar Eller (1995-1996)
• Tiit Toomsalu (1996-2004)
• Sirje Kingsepp (2004-2007)

On 28 June 2008, the Estonian Left Party and the Constitution Party merged to form the Estonian United Left Party (Eestimaa Ühendatud Vasakpartei).

In a privacy rights legal dispute between Sirje Kingsepp and Eesti Päevaleht, the party was deemed "completely marginal" in Estonia's public life.

See also

• Estonian United Left Party

External links

• Homepage of Estonian Left Party at the Wayback Machine (archived July 30, 2008)