List of socialist states

Several past and present states have declared themselves socialist states or in the process of building socialism. The majority of self-declared socialist countries have been Marxist–Leninist or inspired by it, following the model of the Soviet Union or some form of people’s or national democracy. They share a common definition of socialism and they refer to themselves as socialist states on the road to communism with a leading vanguard party structure, hence they are often called communist states. Meanwhile, the countries in the non-Marxist–Leninist category represent a wide variety of different interpretations of the term socialism and in many cases the countries do not define what they mean by it. Modern uses of the term socialism are wide in meaning and interpretation.

Because a sovereign state is a different entity from the political party that rules that state at any given time, a country may be ruled by a socialist party without the country itself claiming to be socialist or the socialist party being written into the constitution. This has occurred in both one-party and multi-party political systems. In particular, there are numerous cases of social democratic and democratic socialist parties winning elections in liberal democratic states and ruling for a number of terms until a different party wins the elections. While socialist parties have won many elections around the world and most elections in the Nordic countries, many of those countries have not adopted socialism as a state ideology or written the party into the constitution.

Several countries with liberal democratic constitutions mention socialism. India is a liberal democracy that has been ruled by non-socialist parties on many occasions, but its constitution makes references to socialism. Certain other countries such as Croatia, Hungary, Myanmar, and Poland have constitutions that make references to their communist and socialist past by recognizing or condemning it, but without claiming to be socialist in the present.

Overview

Self-identification is the only criterion used by the list, therefore it includes all countries that have claimed to be socialist, even if their claims are disputed. All countries that have not claimed to be socialist are excluded, even in cases where certain outside observers regarded those countries as socialist. Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party considered the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom to be a proto-communist state, although the kingdom never declared itself socialist, hence it is not included on this list.

The list includes countries that assert in their constitutions that they are based on socialism, regardless of their economic or political system. It does not list countries that do not have constitutional references to socialism as socialist states, even in cases where the government is currently run by a socialist party or other left-wing (centre-left and far-left) parties. Inversely, countries that do maintain constitutional references to socialism are listed, even when those countries are ruled by non-socialist parties. The list is best understood as a list of countries that explicitly claim to be socialist and it does not reflect the actual economic systems themselves.

The following images are a combined map of all countries that declared themselves socialist states under any definition at some point in their history, including recognition by the Soviet Union, color-coded for the number of years they said they were socialist:

Map of socialist states by duration

  Over 70 years

  60–70 years

  50–60 years

  40–50 years

  30–40 years

  20–30 years

  10–20 years

  Under 10 years

  States that had socialist governments

  States that the Soviet Union believed to be moving toward socialism

  Other socialist states

Current socialist states

Marxist–Leninist states

Country	Since	Duration	Form of government	Party	Head of party	Head of state	Head of government
People’s Republic of China	1 October 1949	71 years, 183 days	Unitary one-party socialist republic	Communist Party of China	Xi Jinping (since 2012)	Xi Jinping (since 2013)	Li Keqiang (since 2013)
Republic of Cuba	1 January 1959	62 years, 91 days	Unitary one-party socialist republic	Communist Party of Cuba	Raúl Castro (since 2011)	Miguel Díaz-Canel (since 2018)	Manuel Marrero Cruz (since 2019)
Lao People’s Democratic Republic	2 December 1975	45 years, 121 days	Unitary one-party socialist republic	Lao People’s Revolutionary Party	Bounnhang Vorachith (since 2016)		Thongloun Sisoulith (since 2016)
Socialist Republic of Vietnam	2 July 1976	44 years, 274 days	Unitary one-party socialist republic	Communist Party of Vietnam	Nguyễn Phú Trọng (since 2011)	Nguyễn Phú Trọng (since 2018)	Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (since 2016)

Non-Marxist–Leninist states

Countries with constitutional references to socialism

Country	Since	Duration	Form of government	Constitutional statement
People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria	3 July 1962	58 years, 273 days	Multi-party semi-presidential republic	Preamble (1963): “Faithful to the program adopted by the National Council of the Algerian Revolution in Tripoli, the democratic and popular Algerian Republic will direct its activities toward the construction of the country in accordance with the principles of socialism “. Preamble (1996/2016): “Gathered in the national movement and later within the National Front of Liberation, the Algerian people have made great sacrifices in order to assume their collective destiny in the framework of recovered freedom and cultural identity and to build authentic people’s democratic constitutional institutions. The National Front of Liberation crowned the sacrifices of the best sons of Algeria during the people’s war of liberation with independence and built a modern and full sovereign State”. The National Front of Liberation is a political party based on Arab socialism.
People’s Republic of Bangladesh	11 April 1971	49 years, 356 days	Multi-party parliamentary republic	Preamble: “Further pledging that it shall be a fundamental aim of the State to realise through the democratic process, a socialist society free from exploitation, a society in which the rule of law, fundamental human rights and freedoms, equality and justice, political, economic and social, will be secured for all citizens”.
State of Eritrea	24 May 1991	29 years, 313 days	One-party presidential republic	Since 1991, the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice, based on socialism and left-wing nationalism, has been the sole legal political party in Eritrea.
Republic of Guinea-Bissau	24 September 1973	47 years, 190 days	Multi-party semi-presidential republic	Preamble: “The Popular National Assembly congratulates the PAIGC for the vanguard role it has always performed in conducting the fates of the Guinea nation, and congratulates itself for the courageous and timely decision that the Party of Amilcar Cabral took by overcoming the challenge of democratic opening, towards the construction of aplural, just and free society. The decision of the PAIGC follows in accordance with its historic tradition of acting at every moment as the repository for the deepest aspirations of our people.”. The PAIGC is a political party based on democratic socialism.
Co-operative Republic of Guyana	6 October 1980	40 years, 178 days	Multi-party presidential republic	Section 1, Article 1: “Guyana is an indivisible, secular, democratic sovereign state in the course of transition from capitalism to socialism and shall be known as the Co-operative Republic of Guyana”.
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea	19 February 1992	29 years, 42 days	One-party socialist republic	Preamble: “The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is the socialist motherland of Juche, which has applied the ideas and leadership of Kim Il-sung”. Formerly a Marxist–Leninist state.
Republic of India	18 December 1976	44 years, 105 days	Multi-party parliamentary republic	Preamble: “We, the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic and to secure to all its citizens”.
Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal	20 September 2015	5 years, 194 days	Multi-party parliamentary republic	Section 1, Article 4: “Nepal is an independent, indivisible, sovereign, secular, inclusive democratic, socialism-oriented federal democratic republican state”.
Republic of Nicaragua	18 July 1979	41 years, 258 days	Dominant-party presidential republic	Section 1, Article 5: “Liberty, justice, respect for the dignity of the human person, political and social pluralism, the recognition of the distinct identity of the indigenous peoples and those of African descent within the framework of a unitary and indivisible state, the recognition of different forms of property, free international cooperation and respect for the free self-determination of peoples, Christian values, socialist ideals, and practices based on solidarity, and the values and ideals of the Nicaraguan culture and identity, are the principles of the Nicaraguan nation. The socialist ideals promote the common good over individual egoism, seeking to create an ever more inclusive, just and fair society, promoting an economic democracy which redistributes national wealth and eliminates exploitation among human beings”.
Portuguese Republic	2 April 1976	44 years, 342 days	Multi-party semi-presidential republic	Preamble: “The Constituent Assembly affirms the Portuguese people’s decision to open up a path towards a socialist society”.
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic	26 February 1976	45 years, 35 days	One-party semi-presidential republic	Section 2 Chapter 1 Article 33: “Until the complete recovery of national sovereignty, the Frente POLISARIO (Polisario Front) shall be the political framework that shall unite and mobilise politically the Sahrawis to express their aspirations and legitimate rights to self-determination and independence and to defend their national unity and complete the building of their independent Sahrawi State”. The Polisario Front is a political party based on democratic socialism.
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka	7 September 1978	42 years, 207 days	Multi-party semi-presidential republic	Preamble: ” to constitute Sri Lanka into a democratic socialist republic whilst ratifying the immutable republican principles of representative democracy, and assuring to all peoples freedom, equality, justice, fundamental human rights and the independence of the judiciary”.
United Republic of Tanzania	26 April 1964	56 years, 341 days	Dominant-party semi-presidential republic	Section 1, Article 3: “The United Republic is a democratic, secular and socialist state which adheres to multi-party democracy”.

Socialist territories with limited recognition

These are territories that have claimed independence or autonomy and have declared themselves socialist under some interpretation of the term. While these territories have created stable institutions of governance that have existed for a considerable period of the time, they are not widely recognized as states by the international community and officially belong to other sovereign states under international law.

•  Freetown Christiania (1971 – present)
•  Wa State (April 1989 – present)
•  Rebel Zapatista Autonomous Municipalities (December 1994 – present)
•  Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (November 2013 – present)

Former socialist states

Marxist–Leninist states

Country	Full name	From	Until	Duration	Ruling party	Constitutional statement
/ Afghanistan	Democratic Republic of Afghanistan	27 April 1978	30 November 1987	9 years, 217 days	People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan	Preamble: “In the present stage, the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan, as the initiator and coordinator of the policy of National Reconciliation, actively carries forward together with other political, national and democratic forces”. The People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan was a Marxist–Leninist party.
	Republic of Afghanistan	30 November 1987	28 April 1992	4 years, 150 days
	Total	27 April 1978	28 April 1992	14 years, 1 day
/ Albania	Democratic Government of Albania	29 November 1944	11 January 1946	1 year, 43 days	Party of Labour of Albania	Section 1, Article 1: “The People’s Socialist Republic of Albania is a state of the dictatorship of the proletariat, which expresses and defends the interests of all the working people”.
	People’s Republic of Albania	11 January 1946	28 December 1976	30 years, 352 days
	People’s Socialist Republic of Albania	28 December 1976	22 March 1992	15 years, 85 days
	Total	29 November 1944	22 March 1992	47 years, 114 days
Angola	People’s Republic of Angola	11 November 1975	27 August 1992	16 years, 290 days	Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola	Section 1, Article 2: “All sovereignty is vested in the Angolan people. The MPLA, their legitimate representative constituted from a broad front including all patriotic forces engaged in the anti-imperialist struggle, is responsible for the political, economic, and social leadership of the nation”.
/ Belarus	Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic	31 July 1920	25 August 1991	71 years, 25 days	Communist Party of Byelorussia	Section 1, Article 1: “The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic is a socialist state expressing the will and interests of the workers, peasants and intelligentsia, the working people of all nationalities of the republic”.
Benin	People’s Republic of Benin	30 November 1975	1 March 1990	14 years, 91 days	People’s Revolutionary Party of Benin	The Marxist–Leninist People’s Revolutionary Party of Benin became the sole legal political party on 30 November 1975.
Bulgaria	People’s Republic of Bulgaria	15 September 1946	7 December 1990	44 years, 83 days	Bulgarian Communist Party	Section 1, Article 1: “The People’s Republic of Bulgaria is a socialist state of the working people from town and village, headed by the working class”.
// Cambodia	Democratic Kampuchea	17 April 1975	22 June 1982	7 years, 66 days	Communist Party of Kampuchea	Chapter 1, Article 1: “The State of Kampuchea is a State of the people, workers, peasants, and all other Kampuchean labourers”.Constitutionally a Marxist–Leninist state from 1975 to 1991, Cambodia was not internationally recognized by some countries following the Cambodian–Vietnamese War.
	People’s Republic of Kampuchea	10 January 1979	1 May 1989	10 years, 111 days	People’s Revolutionary Party of Kampuchea
	State of Cambodia	1 May 1989	23 October 1991	2 years, 175 days
	Total	17 April 1975	23 October 1991	16 years, 189 days
Congo	People’s Republic of the Congo	3 January 1970	15 March 1992	22 years, 72 days	Congolese Labor Party	Presidential oath: “I swear allegiance to the Congolese people, to the Revolution and to the Congolese Labor Party. I shall undertake, while guided by Marxist-Leninist principles, to devote all my strength to the triumph of the proletarian ideals”.
Czechoslovakia	Czechoslovak Republic	9 June 1948	11 July 1960	12 years, 32 days	Communist Party of Czechoslovakia	Section 1, Article 1: “The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic is a socialist state founded on the firm alliance of the workers, farmers and intelligentsia, with the working class as its head”. From 1969 to 1990, Czechoslovakia consisted of two constituent republics.
	Czechoslovak Socialist Republic	11 July 1960	29 March 1990	29 years, 261 days
	Total	9 June 1948	29 March 1990	41 years, 293 days
/ Ethiopia	Provisional Military Government of Socialist Ethiopia	28 June 1974	22 February 1987	12 years, 239 days	Commission for Organizing the Party of the Working People of Ethiopia	Country declared Marxist–Leninist in 1974, with the Workers’ Party of Ethiopia becoming “the formulator of the country’s development process and the leading force of the state and in society” in 1987.
					Workers’ Party of Ethiopia
	People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia	22 February 1987	27 May 1991	4 years, 94 days
	Total	28 June 1974	27 May 1991	16 years, 333 days
East Germany	German Democratic Republic	7 October 1949	3 October 1990	40 years, 361 days	Socialist Unity Party of Germany	Section 1, Article 1: “The German Democratic Republic is a socialist state of workers and peasants. It is the political organization of the working people of town and country under the leadership of the working class and its Marxist-Leninist party”.
Grenada	People’s Revolutionary Government	13 March 1979	25 October 1983	4 years, 226 days	New Jewel Movement	People’s Law Number Two: “The People’s Revolutionary Government, PRG, is hereby established as of Tuesday 13 March 1979, in accordance with the sovereign will of the Grenadian people, and in it shall be vested of executive and legislative power”. The New Jewel Movement considered themselves a Marxist–Leninist vanguard party.
Hungary	Hungarian People’s Republic	20 August 1949	23 October 1989	40 years, 64 days	Hungarian Working People’s Party	Section 1, Article 2: “The Hungarian People’s Republic is a socialist state”.
					Hungarian Socialist Workers’ Party
North Korea	Democratic People’s Republic of Korea	9 September 1948	19 February 1992	43 years, 163 days	Workers’ Party of Korea	Section 1, Article 1: “The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is an independent socialist state representing the interests of all the Korean people”. Currently a non-Marxist–Leninist socialist state.
/ Mongolia	Mongolian People’s Republic	24 November 1924	12 February 1992	67 years, 80 days	Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party	Section 1, Article 2: “The Mongolian People’s Republic is a state which exists and is developing in the form of people’s democracy”.
/ Mozambique	People’s Republic of Mozambique	25 June 1975	1 December 1990	15 years, 159 days	FRELIMO	Section 1, Article 2: “Power belongs to the workers and peasants united and led by FRELIMO and organs of people’s power”.
Poland	Republic of Poland	28 June 1945	22 July 1952	7 years, 24 days	Polish Workers’ Party	Section 1, Article 1: “The Polish People’s Republic is a socialist state”.
					Polish United Worker’s Party
	Polish People’s Republic	22 July 1952	30 December 1989	37 years, 161 days
	Total	28 June 1945	30 December 1989	44 years, 185 days
Romania	Romanian People’s Republic	30 December 1947	21 August 1965	17 years, 234 days	Romanian Workers’ Party	Section 1, Article 3: “The leading force of society in the Socialist Republic of Romania is the Romanian Communist Party”.
	Socialist Republic of Romania	21 August 1965	30 December 1989	24 years, 131 days	Romanian Communist Party
	Total	30 December 1947	30 December 1989	42 years, 0 days
Russia/  Soviet Union	Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic	7 November 1917	30 December 1922	5 years, 53 days	Communist Party of the Soviet Union	Section 1, Article 1, Chapter 2: “Bearing in mind as its fundamental problem the abolition of the exploitation of men by men, the entire abolition of the division of the people into classes, the suppression of exploiters, the establishment of a socialist society, and the victory of socialism in all lands”. Section 1, Article 1: “The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is a socialist state of the whole people, expressing the will and interests of the workers, peasants and intelligentsia, the working people of all the nations and nationalities of the country”. The Soviet Union consisted of fifteen republics.
	Union of Soviet Socialist Republics	30 December 1922	26 December 1991	68 years, 361 days
	Total	7 November 1917	26 December 1991	74 years, 49 days
Somalia	Somali Democratic Republic	21 October 1969	26 January 1991	21 years, 97 days	Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party	Section 1, Article 1: “The Somali Democratic Republic is a socialist state led by the working class and is an integral part of the Arab and African entities”.
/ Tuva	Tannu Tuvan People’s Republic	14 August 1921	24 November 1926	5 years, 102 days	Tuvan People’s Revolutionary Party	Chapter 1: ” in international affairs, the state acts under the auspices of Soviet Russia”. In October 1944, the country was annexed by the Soviet Union at the request of Tuva’s parliament.
	Tuvan People’s Republic	24 November 1926	11 October 1944	17 years, 322 days
	Total	14 August 1921	11 October 1944	23 years, 58 days
Ukraine	Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic	10 March 1919	24 August 1991	72 years, 167 days	Communist Party of Ukraine	Section 1, Article 1: “The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic is the whole peoples state that expresses the will and interests of the workers, peasants and intellectuals, workers of the republic of all nationalities”.
Vietnam/ North Vietnam	Democratic Republic of Vietnam	2 September 1945	2 July 1976	30 years, 304 days	Communist Party of Vietnam	Section 2, Article 9: “The Democratic Republic of Vietnam is advancing step by step from people’s democracy to socialism by developing and transforming the national economy along socialist lines, transforming its backward economy into a socialist economy with modern industry and agriculture and an advanced science and technology”. The Indochinese Communist Party and the Workers’ Party of Vietnam were the dominant parties prior to the consolidation of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
South Yemen	People’s Republic of South Yemen	30 November 1967	1 December 1970	3 years, 1 day	National Liberation Front	Section 1, Article 3: “The Yemeni Socialist Party, armed with the Scientific Socialism theory, is the leader and guide of society and state”.
	People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen	1 December 1970	22 May 1990	19 years, 172 days	Yemeni Socialist Party
	Total	30 November 1967	22 May 1990	22 years, 173 days
/ Yugoslavia	Democratic Federal Yugoslavia	29 November 1943	29 November 1945	2 years, 0 days	League of Communists of Yugoslavia	Section 1, Article 2: “The socialist system in Yugoslavia is based on relations between people acting as free and equal producers and creators, whose work serves exclusively to satisfy their personal and common needs”. Yugoslavia consisted of six constituent socialist republics.
	Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia	29 November 1945	7 April 1963	17 years, 129 days
	Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia	7 April 1963	27 April 1992	29 years, 20 days
	Total	29 November 1943	27 April 1992	48 years, 150 days

Non-Marxist–Leninist states

Country	Full name	From	Until	Duration	Constitutional statement
Burma	Union of Burma	2 March 1962	3 January 1974	11 years, 307 days	Chapter XVI General Provisions: “In order to overcome this deterioration and to build Socialism, the Revolutionary Council of the Union of Burma assumed responsibility as a historical mission, adopted the Burmese Way to Socialism and also formed the Burma Socialist Programme Party”.
	Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma	3 January 1974	18 September 1988	14 years, 259 days
	Total	2 March 1962	18 September 1988	26 years, 200 days
Cape Verde	Republic of Cape Verde	5 July 1975	22 September 1992	17 years, 79 days	Chapter 1, Article 1: “Cape Verde is a sovereign, democratic, laic, unitary, anti-colonialist and anti-imperialist state”. It was a one-party state ruled by the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde, whose goal was the construction of a socialist society and which received support from other socialist states.
Chad	Republic of Chad	16 April 1962	13 April 1975	12 years, 362 days	From 1962–1975, the African socialist Chadian Progressive Party was the sole legal political party in Chad.
Congo	Republic of Congo	16 August 1963	4 September 1968	5 years, 9 days	From 1963–1968, the socialist National Movement of the Revolution was the sole legal political party in the Republic of Congo.
Djibouti	Republic of Djibouti	24 October 1981	3 October 1992	10 years, 345 days	Law on National Mobilization Part 2, Article 4: “During the National Mobilization the People’s Rally for Progress guarantees the formation and expression of popular consensus and the national will for economic and social transformation. It brings to the President of the Republic, guarantor of national unity, the support of its organization and the action of its activists. It ensures within it the democratic debate between the various social, cultural, economic and regional components of the national community as well as their equitable representation, their free expression and right of proposal. Its statutes must promote a broad development of internal democracy as well as broad popular support for the various institutions of the Republic”. The People’s Rally for Progress is a socialist party.
Egypt	Republic of Egypt	18 June 1953	22 February 1958	4 years, 249 days	Preamble: “The Arab Republic of Egypt is a democratic, socialist state based on the alliance of the working forces of the people”.
	United Arab Republic	22 February 1958	28 September 1961	3 years, 218 days
	Arab Republic of Egypt	28 September 1961	26 March 2007	45 years, 179 days
	Total	18 June 1953	26 March 2007	53 years, 281 days
Equatorial Guinea	Republic of Equatorial Guinea	7 July 1970	3 August 1979	9 years, 27 days	See the 1973 Equatorial Guinean constitutional referendum. Preamble: “The United National Workers’ Party of Equatorial Guinea (PUNT), draws up the general policy of the nation, and coordinates and controls it through the State organs”. The United National Workers’ Party was a political party based on African socialism.
Ghana	Republic of Ghana	1 July 1960	24 February 1966	5 years, 238 days	Part 1, Article 2: “In the confident expectation of an early surrender of sovereignty to a union of African states and territories, the people now confer on Parliament the power to provide for the surrender of the whole or any part of the sovereignty of Ghana”. See the 1960 Ghanaian constitutional referendum. Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of Ghana, is mentioned in the 1960 constitution. Nkrumah and his party, the Convention People’s Party, were African socialists, whose party constitution stated: “To establish a socialist state in which all men and women shall have equal opportunity and where there shall be no capital exploitation”. Ghana’s Seven Year Development plan included the task to “mbark upon the socialist transformation of the economy through the rapid development of state and co-operative sectors”.
Guinea	Republic of Guinea	2 October 1958	3 April 1984	25 years, 184 days	From 1958–1984, the African socialist Democratic Party of Guinea – African Democratic Rally was the sole legal political party in Guinea.
/ Iraq	Iraqi Republic	14 July 1958	8 February 1963	4 years, 209 days	From 1958–1963, the Iraqi Communist Party was the sole legal political party in Iraq. See the 14 July Revolution.
		8 February 1963	17 July 1968	5 years, 160 days	From 1963–1968, the Arab Socialist Union was the sole legal political party in Iraq.
	Iraqi Republic	17 July 1968	7 April 2005	36 years, 264 days	Chapter 1, Article 1: “Its basic objective is the realization of one Arab State and the build-up of the socialist system”.
	Total	14 July 1958	7 April 2005	46 years, 267 days
/ Libya	Libyan Arab Republic	1 September 1969	2 March 1977	7 years, 182 days	Section 1, Article 6: “The aim of the state is the realization of socialism through the application of social justice which forbids any form of exploitation”.
	Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya	2 March 1977	15 April 1986	9 years, 44 days
	Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya	15 April 1986	23 October 2011	25 years, 191 days
	Total	1 September 1969	23 October 2011	42 years, 52 days
Madagascar	Democratic Republic of Madagascar	30 December 1975	12 September 1992	16 years, 257 days	See the 1975 Malagasy constitutional referendum.
Mali	Republic of Mali	20 June 1960	26 March 1991	30 years, 251 days	From 1960–1968, the African socialist Sudanese Union – African Democratic Rally was the sole legal political party in Mali. The 1974 Malian constitution provided for a one-party system which was ruled by the socialist Democratic Union of the Malian People.
Mauritania	Islamic Republic of Mauritania	25 December 1961	10 July 1978	16 years, 197 days	Chapter 1, Article 9: “The popular will is expressed through the democratically organized State Party. The Mauritanian People’s Party, born from the merger of the national parties existing on December 25, 1961, is recognized as the only party of the State”. The Mauritanian People’s Party was a political party based on Islamic socialism.
Senegal	Republic of Senegal	20 August 1960	24 April 1981	20 years, 247 days	From 1960–1975, the African socialist Senegalese Progressive Union (UPS) was the sole legal political party in Senegal and until 1981 there were only three parties allowed a socialist party (UPS), a liberal party and a communist party.
Seychelles	Republic of Seychelles	5 June 1977	27 December 1991	14 years, 205 days	Preamble: “Seychelles is declared to be a sovereign socialist republic”.
Sierra Leone	Republic of Sierra Leone	12 July 1978	1 October 1991	13 years, 81 days	Chapter X, Article 176: “The All People’s Congress established and in being immediately prior to the commencement of this Constitution shall continue in being thereafter and be deemed to be the One Party officially recognised in Sierra Leone”. The All People’s Congress is a political party based on African socialism.
Sudan	Democratic Republic of the Sudan	25 May 1969	10 October 1985	16 years, 138 days	Preamble: “In the belief of our pursuit of freedom, socialism and democracy to achieve the society of sufficiency, justice and equality”.
/ Syria	Syrian Arab Republic	8 March 1963	27 February 2012	48 years, 356 days	Section 1, Article 8: “The leading party in the society and the state is the Socialist Arab Ba’ath Party. It leads a patriotic and progressive front seeking to unify the resources of the people’s masses and place them at the service of the Arab nation’s goals”.
Tunisia	Republic of Tunisia	22 October 1964	27 February 1988	23 years, 128 days	From 1964–1988, the Socialist Destourian Party was the sole legal political party in Tunisia.
Zambia	Republic of Zambia	25 August 1973	24 August 1991	17 years, 364 days	Section 1, Article 4: “There shall be one and only one political party or organization in Zambia, namely, the United National Independence Party”. The United National Independence Party is a political party based on African socialism.

Ephemeral socialist states

These are short-lived political entities that emerged during wars, revolutions, or unrest and declared themselves socialist under some interpretation of the term, but which did not survive long enough to create a stable government or achieve international recognition.

•  Paris Commune (18 March 1871 – 28 May 1871)
•  Strandzha Commune (18 August 1903 – 8 September 1903)
•  Republic of Guria (23 August 1905 – 10 January 1906)
•  Ukrainian People’s Republic (1917–1921)
•  Crimean People’s Republic (1917–1918)
•  Soviet Republic of Soldiers and Fortress-Builders of Naissaar (December 1917 – February 1918)
•  Belarusian People’s Republic (1918–1919)
•  West Ukrainian People’s Republic (1918–1919)
•  Finnish Socialist Workers’ Republic (28 January 1918 – 29 April 1918)
•  Odessa Soviet Republic (31 January 1918 – 13 March 1918)
•  Donetsk–Krivoy Rog Soviet Republic (12 February 1918 – May 1918)
•  Baku Commune (13 April 1918 – 25 July 1918)
•  Democratic Republic of Georgia (May 1918 – February 1921)
•  People’s State of Bavaria (8 November 1918 – 6 April 1919)
•  Alsace Soviet Republic (9 November 1918 – 22 November 1918)
•  Soldiers’ Council of Strasbourg (9 November 1918 – 22 November 1918)
•  Free Socialist Republic of Germany (9 November 1918 – 11 August 1919)
•  Mainz Workers’ and Soldiers’ Council (9 November 1918 – 9 December 1918)
•  Alsace-Lorraine Soviet Republic (10 November 1918 – 22 November 1918)
•  Commune of the Working People of Estonia (29 November 1918 – 5 June 1919)
•  Saxon Soviet Republic (November 1918 – March 1919)
•  Latvian Socialist Soviet Republic (17 December 1918 – 13 January 1920)
•  Hungarian People’s Republic (16 November 1918 – 21 March 1919)
•  Free Territory (27 November 1918 – 28 August 1921)
•  Würzburg Soviet Republic (1919)
•  Bremen Soviet Republic (10 January 1919 – 4 February 1919)
•  Lithuanian–Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (27 February 1919 – 25 August 1919)
•  Republic of Councils in Hungary (21 March 1919 – 6 August 1919)
•  Mughan Soviet Republic (March 1919 – June 1919)
•  Bavarian Soviet Republic (6 April 1919 – 3 May 1919)
•  Limerick Soviet (15 April 1919 – 27 April 1919)
•  Crimean Socialist Soviet Republic (28 April 1919 – 26 June 1919)
•  Bessarabian Soviet Socialist Republic (May 1919 – September 1919; 15 September 1924 – 18 September 1924)
•  Slovak Soviet Republic (16 June 1919 – 7 July 1919)
•  People’s Republic of Mongolia (1921–1924)
•  Persian Socialist Soviet Republic (9 June 1920 – September 1921)
•  Galician Soviet Socialist Republic (8 July 1920 – 21 September 1920)
•  Hunan Soviet (September 1927 – October 1927)
•  Guangzhou Commune (Guangzhou Soviet) (11 December 1927 – 13 December 1927)
•  Soviet Zone (1927–1937)
•  Korean People’s Association in Manchuria (1929–1931)
•  Nghệ-Tĩnh Soviet (1930–1931)
•  Jiangxi–Fujian Soviet (1931–1934)
•  Chinese Soviet Republic (7 November 1931 – 22 September 1937)
•  Socialist Republic of Chile (4 June 1932 – 2 October 1932)
•  People’s Revolutionary Government of the Republic of China (22 November 1933 – 13 January 1934)
•  Xinjiang Clique (1934–1941)
•  Asturian Socialist Republic (October 1934)
•  Regional Defence Council of Aragon (1936–1937)
•  Anarchist Aragon (1936–1939)
•  Revolutionary Catalonia (1936–1939)
•  Shaan-Gan-Ning Border Region (1937–1946)
•  Finnish Democratic Republic (December 1939 – March 1940)
•  Political Committee of National Liberation (10 March 1944 – 9 October 1944)
•  Inner Mongolian People’s Republic (9 September 1945 – 6 November 1945)
•  People’s Republic of Korea (1945–1946)
•  Soviet Civil Administration (1945–1949)
•  Liberated Zone (1946–1949)
•  Azerbaijan People’s Government (November 1945 – December 1946)
•  Republic of Mahabad (22 January 1946 – 15 December 1946)
•  Provisional People’s Committee for North Korea (1946–1947)
•  People’s Committee of North Korea (1947–1948)
•  Provisional Democratic Government of North Greece (1947–1949)
•  Marquetalia Republic (1948–1958)
•  Second East Turkestan Republic (12 November 1949 – 20 December 1949)
•  People’s Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba (1964)
•  Republic of South Vietnam (8 June 1969 – 2 June 1976)
•  People’s Provisional Government of Vanuatu (1977–1978)
•  People’s Revolutionary Republic of Guinea (1979–1984)
•  Junta of National Reconstruction (18 July 1979 – 10 January 1985)
•  National Revolutionary Council of Gambia (30 July 1981 – 5 August 1981)
•  Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea (22 June 1982 – 24 September 1993)
•  National Council for the Revolution (1984–1987)
•  Republic of Kuwait (4 August 1990 – 28 August 1990)
•  Democratic Republic of Yemen (21 May 1994 – 7 July 1994)
•  Provisional Government of National Union and National Salvation of Cambodia (11 July 1994 – 22 June 1998)

States with governing communist or socialist parties

There are multiple states with communist or socialist parties leading the government, sometimes together. Such states are not considered to be communist or socialist states because the countries themselves do not provide a constitutional role for their ruling socialist/communist parties or deemed socialism a state ideology. This does not include socialist parties following social democracy which governed most of the Western world as part of the mainstream centre-left and refers to democratic socialist parties positioned to their left.

Country	Party	Electoral coalition	Election	Lower house	Upper house	Official ideology
Algeria	National Liberation Front	—	2017	164 / 462	59 / 144	Arab socialism
Angola	People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola	—	2017	150 / 220	—	Democratic socialism Vanguardism
Argentina	Kolina	Frente de Todos	2019	119 / 257	41 / 72	Kirchnerism
	Victory Party					Kirchnerism
	Somos					Socialist feminism
	Proyecto Sur					Eco-socialism
	Popular Unity					Socialism of the 21st century
	Communist Party of Argentina					Communism
	Communist Party (Extraordinary Congress)					Communism
	Revolutionary Communist Party					Communism
	Intransigent Party					Democratic socialism
	Patria Grande Front					Socialism of the 21st century
	Evita Movement					Kirchnerism
Bangladesh	Awami League	Grand Alliance	2018	293 / 350	—	Socialism
	Workers Party of Bangladesh					Marxism–Leninism
	Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal					Socialism
Barbados	Barbados Labour Party	—	2018	30 / 30	11 / 21	Democratic socialism
Bolivia	Movement for Socialism	—	2020	75 / 130	21 / 36	Socialism of the 21st century
Congo	Congolese Party of Labour	—	2017	90 / 151	—	Democratic socialism
Djibouti	People’s Rally for Progress	Union for the Presidential Majority	2018	57 / 65	—	Democratic socialism
Guinea-Bissau	Movement for Democratic Alternation	—	2019	27 / 102	—	Democratic socialism
Guyana	People’s Progressive Party	PPP/C	2020	33 / 65	—	Democratic socialism
Mauritius	Militant Socialist Movement	Mauritian Alliance	2014	42 / 69	—	Democratic socialism
	Muvman Liberater					Democratic socialism
	Rodrigues People’s Organisation					Democratic socialism
Moldova	Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova	—	2019	35 / 101	—	Democratic socialism
Mozambique	Mozambique Liberation Front	—	2014	144 / 250	—	Democratic socialism
Mexico	MORENA	Juntos Haremos Historia	2018	69 / 128	—	Cardenism
Namibia	South West African People’s Organisation	—	2019	63 / 96	—	Socialism
Nepal	Nepal Communist Party	—	2017	174 / 275	42 / 59	People’s Multiparty Democracy
Nicaragua	Sandinista National Liberation Front	—	2016	71 / 92	—	Sandinismo
Portugal	Socialist Party	—	2019	108 / 230	—	Democratic socialism
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Unity Labour Party	—	2020	9 / 15	—	Democratic socialism
South Africa	African National Congress	Tripartite Alliance	2019	230 / 440	—	Socialism
Sri Lanka	Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Sri Lanka People’s Freedom Alliance	2020	145 / 225	—	Democratic socialism
	Eelam People’s Democratic Party					Left-wing nationalism
	Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal					Socialism
	Sri Lanka Freedom Party					Democratic socialism
Syria	Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party – Syria Region	National Progressive Front	2020	177 / 250	—	Arab socialism
	Syrian Communist Party (Bakdash)					Marxism–Leninism
	Arab Socialist Union Party					Nasserism
	Socialist Unionist Party					Nasserism
Tanzania	Party of the Revolution	—	2015	276 / 384	—	Democratic socialism
Venezuela	United Socialist Party of Venezuela	Great Patriotic Pole	2020	253 / 277	—	Socialism of the 21st century
	Fatherland for All					Libertarian Marxism
	Tupamaro					Communism
	Movement We Are Venezuela					Chavismo
	People’s Electoral Movement					Socialism
	Venezuelan Popular Unity					Chavismo
Zambia	Patriotic Front	—	2016	89 / 156	—	Democratic socialism
Zimbabwe	Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front	—	2018	179 / 270	—	Democratic socialism

Examples of previous direct communist or socialist party rule in non-socialist multi-party democracies and constitutionally socialist states include:

•  Republic of San Marino (Sammarinese Communist Party, 1945–1957)
•  Union of Burma (Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League, 1948–1962)
•  Republic of India (Indian National Congress, 1951–1977; 1980–1989; 1991–1996; 2004–2014)
•  Republic of Uganda (Uganda People’s Congress, 1960–1971; 1980–1985)
•  Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Pakistan Peoples Party, 1970–1977; 1988–1990; 1993–1996; 2008–2013)
•  Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor, 1975; 2002–2006; 2007; 2015–2018)
•  Republic of Senegal (Socialist Party of Senegal, 1975–2000)
•  Arab Republic of Egypt (National Democratic Party, 1978–2011)
•  Republic of Vanuatu (Vanua’aku Pati, 1980–1994; 2009–2014)
•  Republic of Nicaragua (Sandinista National Liberation Front, 1984–1990)
•  People’s Democratic Republic of Burkina Faso (Organization for Popular Democracy – Labour Movement and Congress for Democracy and Progress, 1987–1996; 1996–2014)
•  Republic of Tunisia (Democratic Constitutional Rally, 1988–2011, Nidaa Tounes 2014–2019)
•  Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front, 1991–2019)
•  Republic of Seychelles (Seychelles People’s Progressive Front, People’s Party and United Seychelles, 1991–2009; 2009–2018; 2018–2020)
•  Republic of Mali (Alliance for Democracy in Mali and Rally for Mali, 1992–2002; 2012–2013; 2013–2020)
•  Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Socialist Party of Serbia, 1992–2000)
•  Co-operative Republic of Guyana (People’s Progressive Party, 1992–2015)
•  Republic of Nepal (Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and Nepal Communist Party, 1994–1998; 2008–2013; 2015–2017)
•  Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka Freedom Party, 1994–2001; 2004–2015)
•  Republic of Madagascar (Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar, 1997–2002)
•  Republic of Moldova (Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova, 2001–2009)
•  Federative Republic of Brazil (Workers’ Party, 2002–2016)
•  Oriental Republic of Uruguay (Socialist Party of Uruguay, 2005–2010; 2015–2020 and Movement of Popular Participation 2010–2015)
•  Republic of Sierra Leone (All People’s Congress, 2007–2018)
•  Republic of Cyprus (Progressive Party of Working People, 2008–2013)
•  Republic of El Salvador (Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front, 2009–2019)
•  Republic of Suriname (National Democratic Party, 2010–2020)