There are a number of communist parties active in various countries across the world and a number that used to be active. They differ not only in method, but also in strict ideology and interpretation, although they are generally within the tradition of Marxism–Leninism.
The formation of communist parties in various countries was first initiated by the Russian Bolsheviks within the Communist International. Since then, communist parties have governed numerous countries, whether as ruling parties in one-party states like the Chinese Communist Party or the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, or as ruling parties in multi-party systems, including majority and minority governments as well as leading or being part of several coalitions.
Many other communist parties did not govern any country, but did govern a state or region within a country. Others have also been represented in national, state, or regional parliaments. Some communist parties and schools of thought reject parliamentarism, instead advocating insurrection or social revolution as well as workers' councils.
Officially ruling in communist states In the following countries, communist parties either lead the ruling coalition or hold monopoly on state power as defined by their respective country's constitutions.
Country Logo Name Abbr. Leader Founded Ideology Legislature Notes Communist Party of China CPC General Secretary Xi Jinping NPC: Communist Party of Cuba PCC First Secretary Miguel Díaz-Canel National Assembly: Leads the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution. Lao People's Revolutionary Party LPRP General Secretary Thongloun Sisoulith Marxism–LeninismKaysone Phomvihane Thought National Assembly: Leads the Lao Front for National Development. Workers' Party of Korea WPK General Secretary Kim Jong Un Kimilsungism–KimjongilismJuchePyŏngjin SPA: Communist Party of Vietnam CPV General Secretary Tô Lâm National Assembly: Leads the Vietnamese Fatherland Front.
Ruling or part of ruling coalition in multi-party states Country Logo Name Abbr. Leader Founded Ideology Legislature Notes Communist Party of Belarus CPB Sergei Syrankov Marxism–LeninismSoviet patriotismPro-Lukashenko Lower House: Upper House: Supports the government of president Alexander LukashenkoCommunist Party of BrazilPCdoBLuciana SantosMarxism–LeninismLower House: Member of the ruling federation, Brazil of Hope Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine PFLP Ahmad Sa'adat Palestinian nationalismMarxism–LeninismRevolutionary socialismOne-state solutionAnti-ZionismArab nationalism Legislative Council: Member of the Palestine Liberation Organization Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine DFLP Nayef Hawatmeh Marxism–LeninismMaoismPalestinian nationalismLeft-wing nationalismAnti-Zionism Legislative Council: Palestinian People's Party PPP Bassam Al-Salhi MarxismPalestinian nationalismLeft-wing nationalism Legislative Council: South African Communist Party SACP Solly Afrika Mapaila Marxism–LeninismLeft-wing nationalism National Assembly: Participates in the ruling Tripartite Alliance Communist Party of Spain PCE Enrique Santiago Marxism–LeninismRepublicanismInternationalismFederalism Lower House: Member of United Left, which participates in the PSOE–Sumar coalition governmentJanatha Vimukthi PeramunaJVPAnura Kumara Dissanayake14 May 1965Marxism–LeninismProgressivismParliament:Main constituent of the ruling National People's PowerCommunist Party of UruguayPCUMarxism–LeninismInternationalismLower House: Senate: Member of the Broad Front Revolutionary Movement Tupamaro MRT Williams Benavides Marxism-LeninismGuevarismFoco theoryLeft-wing nationalismRevolutionary socialism National Assembly: Participates in the ruling Great Patriotic Pole Venezuelan Popular Unity UPV Lina Ron BolivarianismSocialismMarxism National Assembly:
Main opposition or part of main opposition coalition Country Logo Name Abbr. Leader Founded Ideology Legislature Notes Communist Party of Argentina PCA Jorge Kreyness 6 January 1918 Marxism–Leninism Member of the Fuerza Patria Communist Party of Argentina (Extraordinary Congress) PCCE Pablo Pereyra 2 December 1996 Marxism–LeninismKirchnerism Revolutionary Communist Party PCR Jacinto Roldán 6 January 1968 Revolutionary PeronismMarxism–Leninism–MaoismAnti-revisionism Communist Party of Chile PCCh Lautaro Carmona Marxism–LeninismLeft-wing populism Lower House: Senate: Member of the non-ruling Unidad por Chile coalition Progressive Party of Working People AKEL Stefanos Stefanou House of Representatives: French Communist PartyPCFFabien Roussel30 December 1920CommunismSoft EuroscepticismNational Assembly: Member of the non-ruling New Popular FrontCommunist Party of India (Marxist)CPI(M)M. A. BabyMarxism–LeninismRajya Sabha: Lok Sabha: Member of non-organisational bloc Indian National Developmental Inclusive AllianceCommunist Party of IndiaCPID. RajaMarxismRajya Sabha: Lok Sabha: Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) LiberationCPIML-LDipankar BhattacharyaMarxismMarxism–LeninismLok Sabha: Revolutionary Socialist PartyRSPManoj BhattacharyaLok Sabha:Peasants and Workers Party of IndiaPWPJayant Patil Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova PCRM Vladimir Voronin Marxism–LeninismMoldovenismSocial conservatismSoviet patriotismRussophilia Parliament: Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) CPN (UML) KP Sharma Oli Marxism–LeninismPeople's Multiparty Democracy Pratinidhi Sabha: Rastriya Sabha: Nepali Communist Party NCP Pushpa Kamal Dahal Marxism–Leninism Pratinidhi Sabha: Rastriya Sabha: Communist Party of the Russian Federation CPRF Gennady Zyuganov Marxism–LeninismLeft-wing nationalismSocial conservatismSoviet patriotismNeo-Stalinism State Duma: Federation Council: Supports some stances of the government of president Vladimir Putin, especially during the Russian invasion of UkraineEconomic Freedom FightersEFFJulius Malema26 July 2013Marxism–LeninismFanonismSankarismPan-AfricanismBlack nationalismAnti-ZionismLeft-wing populismNational Assembly: NCOP: Member of the non-ruling Progressive CaucusTransnistrian Communist PartyPKPNadezhda BondarenkoMarxism-LeninismNo members in parliament but only opposition party with the second position in votes
Ruling in quasi-states Government Logo Name Abbr. Leader Founded Ideology Notes People's Government of Kokang Myanmar National Truth and Justice Party MNTJP Peng Daxun Xi Jinping ThoughtKokang nationalismEthno-nationalism Political wing of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) United Wa State Party UWSP Bao Youxiang Marxism–LeninismMaoismWa nationalismEthno-nationalismMilitarism Political wing of the United Wa State Army (UWSA)
Formerly ruling
One-party system