Liberal League (Finland)

The Liberal League (Finnish: Liberaalinen Liitto, Swedish: Liberala Förbundet) was a political party in Finland. It existed from 1918 to 1951.

The party emerged from the Young Finnish Party following the Finnish Civil War. The Young Finnish Party had fractured over the question of monarchy versus republic, with the more republican-leaning members forming the Liberal League. Its core ideology was social liberalism, emphasizing individual liberties, free market principles, and social reform.

During its existence, the Liberal League was a relatively small party, typically holding a handful of seats in the Eduskunta (Parliament of Finland). It often played a kingmaker role in coalition governments, aligning with either the Agrarian League (later the Centre Party) or the National Progressive Party, depending on the specific issues at stake.

Key figures associated with the Liberal League included professor and politician Heikki Ritavuori, who served as Minister of the Interior and was assassinated in 1922, and Ernst Estlander.

The Liberal League's political influence waned in the post-World War II era. In 1951, it merged with the National Progressive Party to form the People's Party of Finland. This merger was largely driven by the desire to consolidate liberal forces in Finnish politics and to overcome the electoral difficulties faced by both parties as smaller entities. The People's Party of Finland later became the Liberal People's Party.