List of banned political parties
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article provides a list of political parties that were or are currently banned by the countries in which they were or are based. Party bans can be democratic or authoritarian.[1] "Altering the character of the nation" has been referenced as an argument for banning parties.[2] Ethnic party bans are prevalent in parts of Africa.[3]
Asia
Bangladesh
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awami League | Bengali: বাংলাদেশ আওয়ামী লীগ | Big-tent | 2025 | [4] |
Bhutan
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bhutan People's Party | Democratic socialism, Lhotshampa interests | 1990 | [5] | |
| Communist Party of Bhutan (Marxist–Leninist–Maoist) | Communism, Marxism-Leninism-Maoism, republicanism | 2003 |
China
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zhi Xian Party | Chinese: 中国至宪党 | Chinese New Left, Chongqing model, Maoism | 2013 | [6][7] |
Hong Kong
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong National Party | 香港民族黨 | Hong Kong independence | 2018 | [8] |
Thailand
All political parties, except for the Democrat Party, were dissolved following the 2006 coup d'état and their members banned from seeking office for five years.[9] Thai Rak Thai Party members joined the People's Power Party after the TRT was banned and then the Pheu Thai Party after the PPP was banned. Thai Nation Party members joined the Chart Thai Pattana Party after their party was banned.[10]
Legend: TRT lineage FFP lineage
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communist Party of Thailand | Communism | [11] | ||
| Thais Love Thais Party | Phak Thai Rak Thai | Populism | 2007 | [12] |
| Pandin Thai | 2007 | [13] | ||
| Prachatipatai Kaona | ||||
| Pattana Chart Thai | ||||
| People's Power Party | Phak Phalang Prachachon | Populism | 2008 | [13] |
| Thai Nation Party | 2008 | [13] | ||
| Neutral Democratic Party | Phak Matchima Thippathai | Populism | 2008 | [13] |
| Future Forward Party | Phak Anakhot Mai | Social democracy | 2020 | [14] |
| Move Forward Party | Phak Kao Klai | 2024 | [15] |
Sri Lanka
All parties listed below are no longer banned.
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi | Tamil: இலங்கைத் தமிழர்சுக் கட்சி | Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism | 1958 | [16] |
| Jathika Vimukthi Peramuna | Sinhala: ජාතික විමුක්ති පෙරමුණ | Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism, far-right | ||
| Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna | Sinhala: ජනතා විමුක්ති පෙරමුණ, Tamil: மக்கள் விடுதலை முன்னணி | Marxism–Leninism, Communism | 1971, 1983 | [17] |
| Ceylon Communist Party (Moscow Wing) | Sinhala: ලංකා කොමියුනිස්ට් පක්ෂය, Tamil: சிலோன் கம்யூனிஸ்ட் கட்சி | 1983 | ||
| Nava Sama Samaja Party | Sinhala: නව සම සමාජ පක්ෂය, Tamil: நவ சமசமாஜக் கட்சி | Communism, Trotskyism | ||
| Tamil United Liberation Front | Tamil: தமிழர் ஐக்கிய விடுதலை முன்னணி | Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism | [18] |
Nepal
King Tribhuvan of Nepal banned the Communist Party of Nepal.[19] The Nepali Congress, under the leadership of BP Koirala, won the 1959 election, but King Mahendra of Nepal dissolved the House of Representatives on 15 December 1960. The Rastriya Panchayat was formed and all political parties were banned.[20][19][21]
A referendum was held in 1980 to determine whether to maintain the Panchayat system or institute a multi-party system. The Panchayat system was maintained with 54% of the vote.[22] On 6 April 1990, King Birendra of Nepal ended the ban on political parties in response to the 1990 Nepalese revolution and the 1991 election was the first multi-party election since 1960.[23][24]
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communist Party of Nepal | Communism | [19] | ||
| Nepali Congress | Social democracy Democratic socialism |
[20] |
Japan
Douglas MacArthur considered banning the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) on 3 May 1950. Twenty-four members of the JCP's central committee were removed from office in June and its newspaper, Shimbun Akahata, was banned on June 27.[25]
Philippines
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Year legalize | Notes | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philippine Communist Party | Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas-1930 | Communism | 1957 | 1992 | ||
| Communist Party of the Philippines | Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas | 1968 | 1992 (ban reinstated 2020) | [26] | ||
| Duterte Youth | Duterte Youth | Dutertism | 2025 | Retrospectively banned from running | [27] |
Turkey
All political parties were dissolved following the 1980 coup d'état and other parties were banned after of the many coup d'états in the 20th century.
Legend: CHP lineage DP lineage MP lineage MNP lineage HEP tradition
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive Republican Party | Terakkiperver Cumhuriyet Fırkası | 1925 | [28] | |
| People's Republican Party (Turkey) | Ahali Cumhuriyet Fırkası | 1931 | ||
| Peasants and Villagers Party | Çiftçi ve Köylü Partisi | 1946 | ||
| Islamic Protection Party | İslam Koruma Partisi | Islamism | ||
| Türkiye Sosyalist Emekçi ve Köylü Partisi | Türkiye Sosyalist Emekçi ve Köylü Partisi | Socialism | ||
| Democratic Workers' Party | Demokrat İşçi Partisi | 1950 | ||
| Güden Partisi | 1951 | |||
| Islamic Democratic Party (Turkey) | İslam Demokrat Partisi | Islamism | 1952 | |
| Turkey Socialist Party | Türkiye Sosyalist Partisi | Socialism | ||
| Nation Party | Millet Partisi | Nationalism | 1954 | [28] |
| Small Party | Ufak Parti | 1957 | [28] | |
| Democrat Party | Demokrat Parti | Liberal conservatism | 1960 | [28] |
| Equality Party | Müsavat Partisi | 1961 | [28] | |
| Homeland Party (1954) | Vatan Partisi | Marxism-Leninism | 1966 | |
| Workers' and Farmers' Party | İşçi-Çiftçi Partisi | 1968 | ||
| Workers' Party of Turkey | Türkiye İşçi Partisi | Socialism | 1971 | |
| Turkey Progressive Idealist Party | Türkiye İleri Ülkü Partisi | |||
| National Order Party | Millî Nizam Partisi | Millî Görüş | 1971 | [28] |
| Great Anatolian Party | Büyük Anadolu Partisi | 1972 | [28] | |
| Turkish Labor Party | Türkiye Emekçi Partisi | 1980 | ||
| Justice Party | Adalet Partisi | Liberal conservatism | 1981 | [28] |
| Democratic Party | Demokratik Parti | |||
| Nation Party | Millet Partisi | Nationalism | 1981 | [28] |
| Nationalist Movement Party | Milliyetçi Hareket Partisi | |||
| National Salvation Party | Millî Selamet Partisi | Millî Görüş | 1981 | [28] |
| Republican People's Party | Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi | Kemalism | 1981 | [28] |
| Republican Reliance Party | Cumhuriyetçi Güven Partisi | Kemalism | 1981 | [28] |
| National Women's Party of Turkey | Türkiye Ulusal Kadınlar Partisi | Feminism | ||
| Unity Party of Turkey | Türkiye Birlik Partisi | Alevi interests | ||
| Socialist Workers' Party of Turkey | Türkiye Sosyalist İşçi Partisi | Marxism-Leninism | ||
| Homeland Party (1954) (second time) | Vatan Partisi | |||
| Workers' Party of Turkey (second time) | Türkiye İşçi Partisi | Socialism | ||
| Socialist Revolution Party | Sosyalist Devrim Partisi | Democratic socialism | ||
| Order Party | Nizam Partisi | |||
| Workers' and Peasants' Party of Turkey | Türkiye İşçi Köylü Partisi | Socialism | ||
| Socialist Homeland Party | Sosyalist Vatan Partisi | |||
| Libertarian Nation Party | Hürriyetçi Millet Partisi | |||
| Free Democrats Party | Hür Demokratlar Partisi | |||
| Turkish Peace Party | Türkiye Huzur Partisi | 1983 | ||
| People's Party (Turkey, 1989) | Halk Partisi | Kemalism | 1991 | [28] |
| United Communist Party of Turkey | Türkiye Birleşik Komünist Partisi | Marxism-Leninism | 1991 | [28] |
| Socialist Party (Turkey, 1988) | Sosyalist Parti | Socialism | 1992 | |
| People's Labour Party | Halkın Emek Partisi | Kurdish nationalism | 1993 | [28] |
| Freedom and Democracy Party | Özgürlük ve Demokrasi Partisi | |||
| Democracy Party | Demokrasi Partisi | 1994 | ||
| Welfare Party | Refah Partisi | Millî Görüş | 1998 | [28] |
| Democracy and Change Party | Demokrasi ve Değişim Partisi | Kurdish nationalism | 1995 | [28] |
| Virtue Party | Fazilet Partisi | Millî Görüş | 2001 | [28] |
| People's Democracy Party | Halkın Demokrasi Partisi | Kurdish nationalism | 2003 | [28] |
| Democratic Society Party | Demokratik Toplum Partisi | 2009 |
Iran
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islamic Iran Participation Front | 2010 | [29] | ||
| Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution of Iran Organization |
Iraq
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islamic Dawa Party | [30] |
South Korea
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unified Progressive Party | Korean: 통합진보당 | Progressivism | 2014 | [31] |
Vietnam
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vietnamese Reform Revolutionary Party | Việt Tân | Reformism | 2016 | [32] |
Africa
Algeria
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algerian Communist Party | Arabic: لحزب الشيوعي الجزائري, French: Parti Communiste Algérien | Communism, Marxism-Leninism | 1962 | |
| Algerian National Movement | Arabic: لحركة الوطنية الجزائرية, Berber languages: Amussu Aɣelnaw Adzayri, French: Mouvement National Algérien | |||
| Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party of Algeria | Arabic: حزب البعث العربي الاشتراكي في الجزائر, romanized: Hizb Al-Ba'ath Al-Arabi Al-Ishtiraki fy Aljeza'ir, French: Parti Ba'ath Arabe Socialiste d'Algérie | Neo-Ba'athism, Saddamism | [33] | |
| Étoile Nord-Africaine (North African Star) | Arabic: نجم شمال أفريقيا | 1937 | ||
| Islamic Salvation Front | Arabic: الجبهة الإسلامية للإنقاذ, romanized: al-Jabhah al-Islāmiyah lil-Inqādh, French: Front Islamique du Salut | Anti-democracy, Islamism, Jihadism, Qutbism | 1992 | |
| Liberal Social Party | French: Parti Social Libéral | 1998 | [34] | |
| Party of the Socialist Revolution | Arabic: حزب الثورة الاشتراكية,French: Parti de la Révolution Socialiste | Socialism | ||
| Wafaa | 2000 | [35] |
Burkina Faso
The military government that took over Burkina Faso in September 2022 banned all political parties on 29 January 2026.[36]
Egypt
All political parties were banned in 1953, following the 1952 Egyptian revolution, but were allowed to exist in 1976.[37]
Eswatini
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communist Party of Swaziland | Communism | [41] | ||
| Convention for Full Democracy in Swaziland | ||||
| Ngwane National Liberatory Congress | African socialism | |||
| Ngwane Socialist Revolutionary Party | ||||
| People's United Democratic Movement | Democratic socialism | |||
| Swaziland National Front |
Sudan
Jaafar Nimeiry overthrew the government in 1969, and banned all political parties. He was overthrown by a coup d'état in 1985, and a new government was formed by Abdel Rahman Swar al-Dahab. He legalized political parties, but they were banned again after Omar al-Bashir overthrew the government.[42][43]
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sudanese Ba'ath Party | Ba'athism | [44] | ||
| Sudanese Communist Party | Communism | 1989 | [45] | |
| National Congress Party | المؤتمر الوطني | Islamism | 2019 | [46] |
Americas
Argentina
In 1943, Pedro Pablo Ramírez banned all political parties after overthrowing the government.[47]
Brazil
The Brazilian Communist Party was suppressed during the Vargas Era, but were later able to participate in the 1945 and 1947 elections. However, the party was banned by Eurico Gaspar Dutra in May 1947, and all of its elected officials, barring those elected with support from other parties, were removed from office.[48]
Brazilian Integralist Action was banned after the Integralist Uprising in 1938.[49]
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazilian Communist Party | Communism | 1947 | [48] | |
| Brazilian Integralist Action | Brazilian Integralism | 1938 | [49] |
Peru
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Alliance of Workers, Farmers, University Students, and Reservists | Alianza Nacional de Trabajadores, Agricultores, Universitarios, Reservistas y Obreros | Ethnocacerism | 2024 | [50] |
United States
Multiple states, including California, directly banned the Communist Party USA while other states indirectly did so by banning parties that supported overthrowing the government using violence. Communist candidates were removed from the ballot in Arizona and Georgia in 1940, as the secretaries of state ruled that they could not honestly take the oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States.[51] In 1954, the US government passed the Communist Control Act of 1954 which outlawed the party and made membership in the party a criminal offense. Most of those provisions, however, have either been repealed or ruled unconstitutional.
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communist Party USA | Communism | 1954 | [52] |
Europe
Austria
Austria, under Kurt Schuschnigg and the Vaterländische Front (Fatherland Front), banned all political parties from 1934 up until the Anschluss in 1938, where all parties were banned under Nazi rule.[53]
Georgia
| Name | Native Name | Ideology | Year Banned | Notes | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communist Party of Georgia | საქართველოს კომუნისტური პარტია | Communism Marxism-Leninism | 1991 | [54] | |
| Centrists | ცენტრისტები | Russophilia | 2016 | Banned from election | [55] |
| Conservative Movement | კონსერვატიული მოძრაობა | National conservatism Right-wing populism Russophilia | 2024 | Registration revoked | [56] |
| Georgian Idea | ქართული იდეა | National conservatism Monarchism Russophilia | [57] |
Germany
All political parties were banned in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia after the annexation of Czechoslovakia.[58] During World War II political parties in Luxembourg and Norway were banned following their occupations by Germany.[59][60]
| Name | Native Name(s) | Ideology | Year Banned | Notes | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socialist Reich Party | Sozialistische Reichspartei Deutschlands | Neo-Nazism | 1952 | [61] | |
| Communist Party of Germany | Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands | Communism | 1956 |
Greece
Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas banned all political parties in 1936.[62]
Golden Dawn was ruled as a criminal organization in 2020.[63] It was the first party banned in Greece since the end of the Greek junta in 1974.[64] A law passed in 2023 prohibiting parties led by people convicted of crimes from running in elections resulted in Golden Dawn and National Party – Greeks being prohibited from the 2023 Greek legislative election.[65][66]
| Name | Native Name | Ideology | Year Banned | Year Legalized | Notes | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communist Party of Greece | Κομμουνιστικό Κόμμα Ελλάδας | Communism Marxism–Leninism | 1936 | 1974 | Banned by Ioannis Metaxas | [67] |
| Golden Dawn | Χρυσή Αυγή | Neo-Nazism Neo-Fascism | 2020 | Ruled as a criminal organization | [63] | |
| National Party – Greeks | Εθνικό Kόμμα – Έλληνες | Neo-Fascism | 2023 | Effectively banned | [65] | |
| National Popular Consciousness | Εθνική Λαϊκή Συνείδηση | Dissolved following an effective ban | [68] | |||
| Spartans | Σπαρτιάτες | 2024 | Banned from running | [69] |
Moldova
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Notes | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Șor Party | Russophilia, Hard Euroscepticism | 2023 | Banned | [70][71] | |
| Chance Political Party | 2023/2025 | Banned from running | [72][73] | ||
| Victory (bloc) | 2024 | Banned from campaigning | [74][75] | ||
| 2025 | Banned from running | ||||
| Victory (party) | [73] | ||||
| Alternative and Salvation Force of Moldova | |||||
| Agrarian Party of Moldova | Agrarianism | ||||
| Revival Party | Russophilia, Hard Euroscepticism | [76] |
Ukraine
Poland
| Name | Native Name | Ideology | Year Banned | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polish Communist Party | Komunistyczna Partia Polski | Communism, Marxism-Leninism, Left conservatism | 2025 | [89] |
Bulgaria
All political parties were banned in Bulgaria in 1934.[90]
Russia
Romania
Prime Minister Patriarch Miron of Romania banned all political parties in 1939.[118]
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Guard | Garda de Fier | Fascism | 1939 | [118] |
Spain
Batasuna was the first political party banned following the end of Francisco Franco's dictatorship.[119]
| Name | Native name(s) | Ideology | Year banned | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batasuna | Basque nationalism | 2003 |