even though many prominent left-wing socialists and former social democrats had joined the alliance in the 1940s. One of the few organized non-SKP forces in SKDL was the Socialist Unity Party (SYP) which was founded mainly by former social democrats in 1946. The small and marginalized SYP left the SKDL in 1955 but most of the socialists inside the SKDL chose not to follow the decision made by the party chair Atos Wirtanen and they remained members of the SKDL through its basic organisations. In the early 1970s a Joint Committee of the SKDL Socialists was formed but it never developed an organisation and remained a loose coalition. Publications was SKDL's party organ from 1944 until 1956. SKDL also published many regional daily newspapers. In 1957 Vapaa Sana was merged with the SKP organ to launch Kansan Uutiset, which was the organ of both parties until 1990. Kansan Uutiset still appears and since 2000 it has been the organ of Left Alliance. Leaders Electoral results Parliamentary elections Local elections Presidential elections None of the party's own candidates were elected President, although Urho Kekkonen was elected both times when SKDL seconded him. See also Kaisu-Mirjami Rydberg Communist Party of Finland Political parties established in 1944 Defunct political parties in Finland Socialist parties in Finland Political parties disestablished in 1990 1944 establishments in Finland 1990 disestablishments in Finland