Organisation

The organizational principle of SDP is individual membership. The party has c. 50 000 members of which 40 % are women. Each member belongs to one of the 1 000 party branches, which are the basic units of the party organization. Party branches form local and district organizations. The highest decision making body is Party Congress, which convenes every other year. Next Party Congress will take place in Joensuu, May 2010.

The representatives to the Party Congress are elected by members from candidates nominated by party branches. Between congresses the highest power is vested in the Party Council elected by the Party Congress. The Congress also elects chairman, general secretary, three vice chairmen and the Party Executive.

Members belong to Party branches and elect representatives to Party Congress, which elects Party Executive:
 

Elected in 2010:

Chairman: Ms. Jutta Urpilainen
General Secretary: Mr. Mikael Jungner
Vice-chairpersons:
Mr. Maria Guzenina-Richardson
Ms. Ilkka Kantola
Ms. Pia Viitanen

10-13 other members

and Party Council:
 

Elected in 2010:
Chairperson: Mr Jouni Backman 
60 members

Party branches form 99 local organizations and 15 district organizations.

The party has many organizations closely related to it. Social Democratic Women, Social Democratic Youth, Social Democratic Students, the Finnish Falcon Movement, to name a few, represent the variety in the social democratic movement. SDP also has good co operation with the trade union movement.