Communist Party of the Russian Federation

The Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF; Russian: Коммунистическая Партия Российской Федерации; КПРФ, romanized: Kommunisticheskaya Partiya Rossiyskoy Federatsii; KPRF) is a communist political party in Russia that officially adheres to Marxist–Leninist philosophy. It is the second-largest political party in Russia after United Russia. The youth organisation of the party is the Leninist Young Communist League.

History of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation

The Russian Social-Democratic Workers’ Party (RSDRP) was formed at the Congress in Minsk in 1898. The Communist Party of the RSFSR within the CPSU was established in June 1990. In September 1991 the activities of the CPSU and the CP RSFSR were banned as a result of a counterrevolutionary coup.  On February 13, 1993 the Second Extraordinary Congress of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation announced the resumption of the party’s activities after a ban that lasted almost a year and a half. The Congress adopted its Political Statement and the Party Charter. In March of that year the CPRF was officially registered with the Justice Ministry of the Russian Federation. A new edition of the Programme of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation was adopted by the XIII CPRF Congress. It updates the assessment of the current situation in Russia and in the world and the tasks of the party.

From the CPRF Charter The political party “the Communist Party of the Russian Federation” was created on a voluntary basis by the citizens of the Russian Federation who have united on the basis of common interests to implement the goals of its Programme and Charter. The Communist Party of the Russian Federation is the successor to the cause of the CPSU and the CP RSFSR, being their ideological heir. The CPRF, based on creative development of Marxism-Leninism, has as its main goal the building of socialism, a society of social justice espousing the principles of collectivism, freedom and equality, it comes out for genuine rule of the people in the form of the Soviets, for the strengthening of the multinational federated state. The CPRF is a party of patriots, internationalists, a party of friendship of the peoples. The CPRF, in upholding its ideals, protects the interests of the working class, the peasantry, the intelligentsia and all the working people. The CPRF is a part of the world communist movement, cooperating and developing ties with foreign communist and workers’ parties, progressive organizations and movements. The CPRF pursues its activities in accordance with the goals of its Programme and Charter throughout the territory of the Russian Federation. Any legally capable citizen of the Russian Federation above the age of 18, recognizing and complying with the CPRF Programme and Charter, registered with and participating in the work of a primary party cell and regularly paying membership dues can be a member of the CPRF. The supreme governing body of the Party is the CPRF Congress. The permanent governing body of the Party is the Central Committee of the CPRF. The central bodies of the party are: the Central Committee of the CPRF, the Presidium of the CC CPRF and the Secretariat of the CC CPRF. The central auditing bodies of the party are the Central Control and Auditing Commission of the CPRF and the Presidium of the CCAC CPRF. The CPRF flag is a red piece of drapery. The CPRF anthem is the “Internationale”. The CPRF emblem is the sickle, the hammer and the open book symbolizing the solidarity of workers, peasants and the intelligentsia. At the base of the emblem is the acronym CPRF. On the outer rim of the emblem are the words: “RUSSIA”, “LABOUR”, “RULE OF THE PEOPLE”, “SOCIALISM”. The Party’s media outlets

Information

• The CPRF has about 160,000 members
• 81 regional party branches
• About 14,000 primary party organizations
• Since 1993 the CPRF has been represented in the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. The CPRF is the second largest party in the current, Sixth State Duma. It holds 92 seats out of 450.  The CPRF is represented in the legislative bodies of 79 constituent territories of the Russian Federation.
• The official printed organ of the Party is the newspaper Pravda, founded on May 5, 1912. It has 3 issues a week.
• The CPRF has founded the social and political journal Politicheskoye
• The CPRF has founded the social and political journal Politicheskoye Prosveshcheniye (Political Enlightenment).
• The Party’s official website is: www.kprf.ru
• There are 82 websites of regional CPRF branches The mailing address of the CPRF Central Committee is: 3 (bldg.1), Maly Sukharevsky Pereulok, Moscow, 127051. Tel.: +7(495) 692-7646 Email: zabirov@duma.gov.ru,   inter@kprf.ru

References

Reformed of first paragraph

Website of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation