Join SDP

Do you want to change the world? We would like to invite you to join us in shaping Finland's future. Join us in building a fairer, more equal and humane society. Together we can do anything. Our values cross the boundaries of language, nationality and background. We have a great number of international members, activists, and candidates, all taking part in different ways.

If you share our values, and want to make Finland a more fair, compassionate and respectful society, contact our International Secretary Tero Shemeikka to ask more information.

Tero Shemeikka

International Secretary

Why join?

  • Join us in promoting equality, freedom, and justice. We want to build a financially, socially and ecologically sustainable society.

  • Contribute actively to the direction of Finland’s development. As a member of SDP, you have several different ways of having a say in matters that are important to you. As an SDP member, you can propose initiatives, get your opinion heard, and, if you want, stand for election for various positions.

     

  • Together we get more done. Plenty of training and events that support your objectives are available for SDP members – not to forget time spent in good company!

  • Be the change that you want to see in the world. Join us in building a more just society. We would like to invite you to join us in shaping Finland’s future.

Membership

You can join SDP if you approve of SDP’s value base, are either a Finnish citizen or a foreign citizen residing in Finland, and are at least 15 years of age.

  • As a member you can make a difference:

    In your local party branch. Every member has the right to participate in the decision-making and activities of their own party branch.

    • By submitting motions to your local party branch, municipal branch, or district organisation. All motions from members must be discussed.
    • By standing as a candidate for local party branch, municipal branch, district organisation, or national party level positions.
    • By standing as a candidate in municipal, county, parliamentary, or European elections.
    • By voting in primary elections.
    • By submitting motions to the Party Congress. The Party Congress discusses all motions addressed to it.
  • Local party branches are the basic units of the party. Every SDP member is a member of a local party branch. You can also be a supporting member in another branch.

    Party branches send their representatives to municipal branch and district organisation meetings. They also nominate candidates for elections, party congress delegates, and other party positions. Local party branches also nominate presidential candidates for SDP’s internal primary elections.

    For more information about the local party branches in your own municipality, visit the website of the SDP district organisation of your area. The executive directors of the district organisations are also always happy to help you.

  • Individual membership in SDP’s district organisations differs from traditional membership in a local party branch in that an individual member of a district organisation does not have membership rights at the local or municipal levels in the SDP organisation. Individual district organisation membership is the choice for people who want to be supporting members but do not want to participate in local meetings.

    Key information about individual district organisation membership:

    • Individual district organisation members join the district organisation of the electoral district where they live.
    • The district board processes membership applications, and the district board also has the right to dismiss individual district organisation members.
    • Individual district organisation members are invited to district organisation meetings and in them they have the right to be present and speak as well as the right of initiative.
    • An individual district organisation member can stand for election on the proposal of a 10 person constituency association. The members of the constituency association must be members of SDP in the same electoral district, in which candidates are nominated for primary elections. Nominations are decided by the district organisation in parliamentary elections and possible county elections, by the municipal branch in municipal elections, and by the Party Council in European elections.