List of socialist states

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Several past and present states have declared themselves socialist states or in the process of building socialism. The majority of self-declared socialist countries have been Marxist–Leninist or inspired by it, following the model of the Soviet Union or some form of people's or national democracy. They share a common definition of socialism, and they refer to themselves as socialist states on the road to communism with a leading vanguard party structure, hence they are often called communist states. Meanwhile, the countries in the non-Marxist–Leninist category represent a wide variety of different interpretations of the term socialism, and in many cases the countries do not define what they mean by it. Modern uses of the term socialism are wide in meaning and interpretation.

Because a sovereign state is a different entity from the political party that governs that state at any given time, a country may be ruled by a socialist party without the country itself claiming to be socialist or the socialist party being written into the constitution. This has occurred in both one-party and multi-party political systems. In particular, there are numerous cases of social democratic and democratic socialist parties winning elections in liberal democratic states and ruling for a number of terms until a different party wins the elections. While socialist parties have won many elections around the world and most elections in the Nordic countries, none of those countries have adopted socialism as a state ideology or written the party into the constitution.

Several countries with liberal democratic constitutions mention socialism. India is a democracy that has been governed by non-socialist parties on many occasions, but its constitution makes references to socialism. Certain other countries, such as Hungary,^[1] Myanmar,^[2] and Poland^[3] have constitutions that make references to their communist and socialist past by recognizing or condemning it, but without claiming to be socialist in the present.

Self-identification is the only criterion used by the list, therefore it includes all countries that have claimed to be socialist, even if their claims are disputed. All countries that have not claimed to be socialist are excluded, even in cases where certain outside observers regarded those countries as socialist. Mao Zedong and the Communist Party of China considered the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom to be a proto-communist state, although the kingdom never declared itself socialist, hence it is not included on this list.^[4] The list includes countries that assert in their constitutions that they are based on socialism, regardless of their economic or political system. It does not list countries that do not have constitutional references to socialism as socialist states, even in cases where the government is currently run by a socialist party or other left-wing (centre-left and far-left) parties. Inversely, countries that do maintain constitutional references to socialism are listed, even when those countries are governed by non-socialist parties. The list is best understood as a list of countries that explicitly claim to be socialist, and it does not reflect the actual economic systems themselves.

A combined map of all countries that declared themselves socialist states under any definition at some point in their history, color-coded for the number of years they said they were socialist:

•   Over 70 years
•   60–70 years
•   50–60 years
•   40–50 years
•   30–40 years
•   20–30 years
•   10–20 years
•   Under 10 years

States that had communist governments in red, states that the Soviet Union believed at one point to be moving toward socialism in orange and other socialist states in yellow. Not all of the bright red states remained Soviet allies:

  States that have or had a socialist government

  States that the Soviet Union believed to be moving toward socialism

  States with constitutional references to socialism

Country	Since	Duration	Form of government	Party	Head of party	Head of state	Head of government
People's Republic of China[nb 1]	1 October 1949	75 years, 83 days	Unitary Marxist–Leninist one-party socialist republic	Communist Party of China	Xi Jinping (since 2012)		Li Qiang (since 2023)
Republic of Cuba	24 February 1976[nb 2]	48 years, 303 days	Unitary Marxist–Leninist one-party socialist republic	Communist Party of Cuba	Miguel Díaz-Canel (since 2021)		Manuel Marrero Cruz (since 2019)
Lao People's Democratic Republic	2 December 1975	49 years, 21 days	Unitary Marxist–Leninist one-party socialist republic	Lao People's Revolutionary Party	Thongloun Sisoulith (since 2021)		Phankham Viphavanh (since 2021)
Socialist Republic of Vietnam	2 July 1976[nb 3]	48 years, 174 days	Unitary Marxist–Leninist one-party socialist republic	Communist Party of Vietnam	Tô Lâm (since 2024)	Lương Cường (since 2024)	Phạm Minh Chính (since 2021)

• Note: North Korea has no longer followed Marxism–Leninism since its constitution was amended in 1992,^[8] but its ruling party has still asserted its commitment to communism.^[9]

Country	Since	Duration	Form of government	Constitutional statement
People's Democratic Republic of Algeria	3 July 1962	62 years, 173 days	Multi-party semi-presidential republic	Preamble (1963): "Faithful to the program adopted by the National Council of the Algerian Revolution in Tripoli, the democratic and popular Algerian Republic will direct its activities toward the construction of the country in accordance with the principles of socialism [...]".[10] Preamble (1996–2016): "Gathered in the national movement and later within the National Front of Liberation, the Algerian people have made great sacrifices in order to assume their collective destiny in the framework of recovered freedom and cultural identity and to build authentic people's democratic constitutional institutions. The National Front of Liberation crowned the sacrifices of the best sons of Algeria during the people's war of liberation with independence and built a modern and full sovereign State".[11] The National Front of Liberation is a political party based on Arab socialism.[12]
People's Republic of Bangladesh	11 April 1971	53 years, 256 days	Multi-party parliamentary republic	Preamble: "Further pledging that it shall be a fundamental aim of the State to realise through the democratic process, a socialist society free from exploitation, a society in which the rule of law, fundamental human rights and freedoms, equality and justice, political, economic and social, will be secured for all citizens".[13]
State of Eritrea	24 May 1991	33 years, 213 days	One-party presidential republic	Since 1991, the People's Front for Democracy and Justice, based on socialism and left-wing nationalism, has been the sole legal political party in Eritrea.[14]
Republic of Guinea-Bissau	24 September 1973	51 years, 90 days	Multi-party semi-presidential republic	Preamble: "The Popular National Assembly congratulates the PAIGC for the vanguard role it has always performed in conducting the fates of the Guinea nation, and congratulates itself for the courageous and timely decision that the Party of Amilcar Cabral took by overcoming the challenge of democratic opening, towards the construction of a plural, just and free society. The decision of the PAIGC follows in accordance with its historic tradition of acting at every moment as the repository for the deepest aspirations of our people."[15] The PAIGC is a political party based on democratic socialism and was formerly a communist party. Formerly a one-party socialist republic.
Co-operative Republic of Guyana	6 October 1980	44 years, 78 days	Multi-party presidential republic	Section 1, Article 1: "Guyana is an indivisible, secular, democratic sovereign state in the course of transition from capitalism to socialism and shall be known as the Co-operative Republic of Guyana".[16]
Republic of India	18 December 1976	48 years, 5 days	Multi-party parliamentary republic	Preamble (since 1976): "We, the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic and to secure to all its citizens".[17][18]
Democratic People's Republic of Korea[nb 4]	9 September 1948[nb 5]	76 years, 105 days	One-party Juche[nb 6] socialist republic	Chapter 1, Article 1: "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is an independent socialist State representing the interests of all the Korean people."[19] The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is a one-party republic governed by the Workers' Party of Korea – a political party based on Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism, with references to communism and Marxism–Leninism within its party rules.[20] Formerly a Marxist–Leninist state.[nb 7]
Portuguese Republic	25 April 1976	48 years, 242 days	Multi-party semi-presidential constitutional republic	Preamble: "The Constituent Assembly affirms the Portuguese people's decision to defend national independence, guarantee citizens' fundamental rights, establish the basic principles of democracy, ensure the primacy of a democratic state based on the rule of law and open up a path towards a socialist society, with respect for the will of the Portuguese people and with a view to the construction of a country that is freer, more just and more fraternal."[23]
Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal	20 September 2015	9 years, 94 days	Multi-party parliamentary republic	Section 1, Article 4: "Nepal is an independent, indivisible, sovereign, secular, inclusive democratic, socialism-oriented federal democratic republican state".[24]
Republic of Nicaragua	18 July 1979	45 years, 158 days	Dominant-party presidential republic	Section 1, Article 5: "Liberty, justice, respect for the dignity of the human person, political and social pluralism, the recognition of the distinct identity of the indigenous peoples and those of African descent within the framework of a unitary and indivisible state, the recognition of different forms of property, free international cooperation and respect for the free self-determination of peoples, Christian values, socialist ideals, and practices based on solidarity, and the values and ideals of the Nicaraguan culture and identity, are the principles of the Nicaraguan nation. [...] The socialist ideals promote the common good over individual egoism, seeking to create an ever more inclusive, just and fair society, promoting an economic democracy which redistributes national wealth and eliminates exploitation among human beings".[25][26]
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka	7 September 1978	46 years, 107 days	Multi-party semi-presidential republic	Preamble: "[...] to constitute Sri Lanka into a democratic socialist republic whilst ratifying the immutable republican principles of representative democracy, and assuring to all peoples freedom, equality, justice, fundamental human rights and the independence of the judiciary".[27]
United Republic of Tanzania	26 April 1964	60 years, 241 days	Dominant-party semi-presidential republic	Section 1, Article 3: "The United Republic is a democratic, secular and socialist state which adheres to multi-party democracy".[28] Formerly a one-party socialist republic

These are territories that have claimed autonomy and declared themselves as socialist under some interpretation of the term. While these regions have created stable institutions of governance that have existed for a considerable period of time, they are not widely recognized as autonomous by the international community and officially are parts of other sovereign states under international law.

Territory	Since	Duration	Form of government	Notes
Wa State	17 April 1989	38 years, 8 months	One-party Maoist socialist state[29]	Founded in 1989, Wa State is governed by the United Wa State Party, a Maoist and Wa nationalist party, reported to have good relations and a close connection with the Communist Party of China.[29]
Zapatista autonomous territory	1 January 1994	30 years, 11 months	Libertarian socialist confederal semi-direct democracy	Founded as the Rebel Zapatista Autonomous Municipalities; the municipalities dissolved in 2023 and were restructured into the Zapatista Autonomous Government Collectives.[30] This autonomous region's governance is inspired by the neozapatista ideology of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation. Zapatista autonomy began with the Zapatista uprising in 1994.
Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria	19 July 2012	12 years, 5 months	Libertarian socialist federal semi-direct democracy	Commonly called Rojava, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria's governance is inspired by democratic confederalism.[31] Its autonomy began with the Rojava Revolution in 2012.

Country	Full name	From	Until	Duration	Ruling party	Constitutional statement
/ Afghanistan	Democratic Republic of Afghanistan	27 April 1978	30 November 1987	9 years, 217 days	People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan	Preamble: "In the present stage, the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan, as the initiator and coordinator of the policy of National Reconciliation, actively carries forward together with other political, national and democratic forces".[32] The People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan was a Marxist–Leninist party.[33]
	Republic of Afghanistan	30 November 1987	28 April 1992	4 years, 150 days
	Total	27 April 1978	28 April 1992	14 years, 1 day
/ Albania	Democratic Government of Albania	29 November 1944	11 January 1946	1 year, 43 days	Party of Labour of Albania[nb 8]	Section 1, Article 1: "The People's Socialist Republic of Albania is a state of the dictatorship of the proletariat, which expresses and defends the interests of all the working people".[34]
	People's Republic of Albania	11 January 1946	28 December 1976	30 years, 352 days
	People's Socialist Republic of Albania	28 December 1976	29 April 1991	14 years, 122 days
	Republic of Albania	29 April 1991	22 March 1992	328 days
	Total	29 November 1944	22 March 1992	47 years, 114 days
Angola	People's Republic of Angola	11 November 1975	27 August 1992	16 years, 290 days	Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola	Section 1, Article 2: "All sovereignty is vested in the Angolan people. The MPLA, their legitimate representative constituted from a broad front including all patriotic forces engaged in the anti-imperialist struggle, is responsible for the political, economic, and social leadership of the nation".[35]
Belarus	Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic[nb 9]	31 July 1920	25 August 1991[nb 10]	71 years, 25 days	Communist Party of Byelorussia	Section 1, Article 1: "The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic is a socialist state expressing the will and interests of the workers, peasants and intelligentsia, the working people of all nationalities of the republic".[37]
Benin	People's Republic of Benin	30 November 1975	1 March 1990	14 years, 91 days	People's Revolutionary Party of Benin	The Marxist–Leninist People's Revolutionary Party of Benin became the sole legal political party on 30 November 1975.[38]
Bulgaria	People's Republic of Bulgaria	15 September 1946	7 December 1990	44 years, 83 days	Bulgarian Communist Party	Section 1, Article 1: "The People's Republic of Bulgaria is a socialist state of the working people from town and village, headed by the working class".[39]
// Cambodia	Democratic Kampuchea	17 April 1975	10 January 1979	3 years, 268 days	Communist Party of Kampuchea	Chapter 1, Article 1: "The State of Kampuchea is a State of the people, workers, peasants, and all other Kampuchean labourers.".[40]
	People's Republic of Kampuchea	10 January 1979	1 May 1989	10 years, 111 days	People's Revolutionary Party of Kampuchea	Chapter 1, Article 1: "[Kampuchea is] a democratic state [...] gradually advancing toward socialism".[41] Cambodia was not internationally recognized by some countries following the Cambodian–Vietnamese War.[42][43]
	State of Cambodia	1 May 1989	23 October 1991	2 years, 175 days
	Total	17 April 1975	23 October 1991	16 years, 189 days
Congo	People's Republic of the Congo	3 January 1970	15 March 1992	22 years, 72 days	Congolese Labor Party	Presidential oath: "I swear allegiance to the Congolese people, to the Revolution and to the Congolese Labor Party. I shall undertake, while guided by Marxist-Leninist principles, [...] to devote all my strength to the triumph of the proletarian ideals".[44]
Czechoslovakia	Czechoslovak Republic	9 June 1948	11 July 1960	12 years, 32 days	Communist Party of Czechoslovakia	Section 1, Article 1: "The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic is a socialist state founded on the firm alliance of the workers, farmers and intelligentsia, with the working class as its head".[45] From 1969 to 1990, Czechoslovakia consisted of two constituent republics - Czech Socialist Republic and Slovak Socialist Republic, when the previously unitary Czechoslovak state changed into a federation.
	Czechoslovak Socialist Republic	11 July 1960	29 March 1990	29 years, 261 days
	Total	9 June 1948	29 March 1990	41 years, 293 days
/ Ethiopia	Provisional Military Government of Socialist Ethiopia	28 June 1974	22 February 1987	12 years, 239 days	Commission for Organizing the Party of the Working People of Ethiopia[nb 11]	Country declared Marxist–Leninist in 1974, with the Workers' Party of Ethiopia becoming "the formulator of the country's development process and the leading force of the state and in society" in 1987.[46]
					Workers' Party of Ethiopia[nb 12]
	People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia	22 February 1987	27 May 1991	4 years, 94 days
	Total	28 June 1974	27 May 1991	16 years, 333 days
East Germany	German Democratic Republic	7 October 1949	3 October 1990	40 years, 361 days	Socialist Unity Party of Germany	Section 1, Article 1: "The German Democratic Republic is a socialist state of workers and peasants. It is the political organization of the working people of town and country under the leadership of the working class and its Marxist-Leninist party".[47]
Grenada	People's Revolutionary Government	13 March 1979	25 October 1983	4 years, 226 days	New Jewel Movement	People's Law Number Two: "The People's Revolutionary Government, PRG, is hereby established as of Tuesday 13 March 1979, in accordance with the sovereign will of the Grenadian people, and in it shall be vested of executive and legislative power".[48] The New Jewel Movement considered themselves a Marxist–Leninist vanguard party.[49]
Hungary	Hungarian People's Republic	20 August 1949	23 October 1989	40 years, 64 days	Hungarian Working People's Party[nb 13]	Section 1, Article 2: "The Hungarian People's Republic is a socialist state".[50]
					Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party[nb 14]
North Korea	Democratic People's Republic of Korea	9 September 1948	19 February 1992	43 years, 163 days	Workers' Party of Korea	Section 1, Article 1: "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is an independent socialist state representing the interests of all the Korean people".[51] A non-Marxist–Leninist socialist state since 1992.[nb 15]
Madagascar	Democratic Republic of Madagascar	30 December 1975	12 September 1992	16 years, 257 days	Vanguard of the Malagasy Revolution	Preamble: "The Malagasy people,[...] — Determined to build a State of a new type, expression of the interests of the working masses, and to build a society in conformity with the socialist principles set out in the 'Charter of the Malagasy Socialist Revolution'，"[53][54]
/ Mongolia	Mongolian People's Republic	24 November 1924	12 February 1992	67 years, 80 days	Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party	Section 1, Article 2: "The Mongolian People's Republic is a state which exists and is developing in the form of people's democracy".[55]
/ Mozambique	People's Republic of Mozambique	25 June 1975	1 December 1990	15 years, 159 days	FRELIMO	Section 1, Article 2: "Power belongs to the workers and peasants united and led by FRELIMO and organs of people's power".[56]
North Vietnam	Democratic Republic of Vietnam	2 September 1945[nb 16]	2 July 1976	30 years, 304 days	Communist Party of Vietnam	Section 2, Article 9: "The Democratic Republic of Vietnam is advancing step by step from people's democracy to socialism by developing and transforming the national economy along socialist lines, transforming its backward economy into a socialist economy with modern industry and agriculture and an advanced science and technology".[57] The Indochinese Communist Party and the Workers' Party of Vietnam were the dominant parties prior to the consolidation of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
Poland	Republic of Poland	28 June 1945	22 July 1952	7 years, 24 days	Polish Workers' Party[nb 17]	Section 1, Article 1: "The Polish People's Republic is a socialist state".[58]
					Polish United Workers' Party[nb 18]
	Polish People's Republic	22 July 1952	30 December 1989	37 years, 161 days
	Total	28 June 1945	30 December 1989	44 years, 185 days
Romania	Romanian People's Republic	30 December 1947	21 August 1965	17 years, 234 days	Romanian Workers' Party	Section 1, Article 1: "Romania is a socialist republic". Section 1, Article 3: "The leading force of society in the Socialist Republic of Romania is the Romanian Communist Party".[59]
	Socialist Republic of Romania	21 August 1965	30 December 1989	24 years, 131 days	Romanian Communist Party
	Total	30 December 1947	30 December 1989	42 years, 0 days
Russia/ Soviet Union	Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic	7 November 1917	6 November 1991[nb 19]	73 years, 364 days	Communist Party of the Soviet Union[nb 20]	Section 1, Article 1, Chapter 2: "Bearing in mind as its fundamental problem the abolition of the exploitation of men by men, the entire abolition of the division of the people into classes, the suppression of exploiters, the establishment of a socialist society, and the victory of socialism in all lands".[60][61] Section 1, Article 1: "The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is a socialist state of the whole people, expressing the will and interests of the workers, peasants and intelligentsia, the working people of all the nations and nationalities of the country".[62] The Soviet Union consisted of fifteen republics.[nb 21][63]
	Union of Soviet Socialist Republics	30 December 1922	6 March 1990[nb 22]	67 years, 66 days
	Total	7 November 1917	26 December 1991[nb 23]	74 years, 49 days
Somalia	Somali Democratic Republic	21 October 1969	26 January 1991	21 years, 97 days	Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party	Section 1, Article 1: "The Somali Democratic Republic is a socialist state led by the working class and is an integral part of the Arab and African entities".[64]
/ Tuva	Tannu Tuvan People's Republic	14 August 1921	24 November 1926	5 years, 102 days	Tuvan People's Revolutionary Party	Chapter 1: "[...] in international affairs, the state acts under the auspices of Soviet Russia".[65] In October 1944, the country was annexed by the Soviet Union at the request of Tuva's parliament.[65]
	Tuvan People's Republic	24 November 1926	11 October 1944	17 years, 322 days
	Total	14 August 1921	11 October 1944	23 years, 58 days
Ukraine	Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic[nb 9]	10 March 1919	24 August 1991[nb 24]	72 years, 167 days	Communist Party of Ukraine	Section 1, Article 1: "The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic is the whole peoples state that expresses the will and interests of the workers, peasants and intellectuals, workers of the republic of all nationalities".[67]
South Yemen	People's Republic of South Yemen	30 November 1967	1 December 1970	3 years, 1 day	National Liberation Front[nb 25]	Section 1, Article 3: "The Yemeni Socialist Party, armed with the Scientific Socialism theory, is the leader and guide of society and state".[68]
	People's Democratic Republic of Yemen	1 December 1970	22 May 1990	19 years, 172 days	Yemeni Socialist Party[nb 26]
	Total	30 November 1967	22 May 1990	22 years, 173 days
/ Yugoslavia	Democratic Federal Yugoslavia	29 November 1943	29 November 1945	2 years, 0 days	League of Communists of Yugoslavia[nb 27]	Section 1, Article 2: "The socialist system in Yugoslavia is based on relations between people acting as free and equal producers and creators, whose work serves exclusively to satisfy their personal and common needs".[69] Yugoslavia consisted of six constituent socialist republics.[70]
	Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia	29 November 1945	7 April 1963	17 years, 129 days
	Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia	7 April 1963	22 January 1990[nb 28]	26 years, 290 days
	Total	29 November 1943	22 January 1990	46 years, 54 days

Country	Full name	From	Until	Duration	Constitutional statement
Burma	Union of Burma	2 March 1962	3 January 1974	11 years, 307 days	Chapter XVI General Provisions: "In order to overcome this deterioration and to build Socialism, the Revolutionary Council of the Union of Burma assumed responsibility as a historical mission, adopted the Burmese Way to Socialism and also formed the Burma Socialist Programme Party".[71]
	Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma	3 January 1974	18 September 1988	14 years, 259 days
	Total	2 March 1962	18 September 1988	26 years, 200 days
Cape Verde	Republic of Cape Verde	5 July 1975	22 September 1992	17 years, 79 days	Chapter 1, Article 1: "Cape Verde is a sovereign, democratic, laic, unitary, anti-colonialist and anti-imperialist state".[72] It was a one-party state ruled by the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde, whose goal was the construction of a socialist society and which received support from other socialist states.[73]
Chad	Republic of Chad	16 April 1962	13 April 1975	12 years, 362 days	From 1962 to 1975, the African socialist Chadian Progressive Party was the sole legal political party in Chad.
Congo	Republic of Congo	16 August 1963	4 September 1968	5 years, 9 days	From 1963 to 1968, the socialist National Movement of the Revolution was the sole legal political party in the Republic of Congo.
Djibouti	Republic of Djibouti	24 October 1981	3 October 1992	10 years, 345 days	Law on National Mobilization Part 2, Article 4: "During the National Mobilization the People's Rally for Progress guarantees the formation and expression of popular consensus and the national will for economic and social transformation. It brings to the President of the Republic, guarantor of national unity, the support of its organization and the action of its activists. It ensures within it the democratic debate between the various social, cultural, economic and regional components of the national community as well as their equitable representation, their free expression and right of proposal. Its statutes must promote a broad development of internal democracy as well as broad popular support for the various institutions of the Republic".[74] The People's Rally for Progress is a socialist party.
Egypt	Republic of Egypt	18 June 1953	22 February 1958	4 years, 249 days	Neither 1953 constitutional declaration, 1956 Egyptian Constitution[75] nor the Provisional Constitution of the United Arab Republic[76] used the word 'socialist' or 'socialism', but the sole legal parties – the Liberation Rally and the National Union – were socialist.
	United Arab Republic	22 February 1958	28 September 1961	3 years, 218 days
	Arab Republic of Egypt	28 September 1961	26 March 2007	45 years, 179 days	Article One of 1964 constitution of Egypt, then known as the United Arab Republic, directly mentioned socialism: "The United Arab Republic is a democratic, socialist State based on the alliance of the working powers of the people" Article One of the Egyptian Constitution of 1971:[77] "The Arab Republic of Egypt is a Socialist Democratic State based on the alliance of the working forces of the people." The 2007 Amendments removed the mentioned of Egypt as a socialist state from Article One.[78][79][80] Socialism was still mentioned in the preamble and other sections, but fully removed following the 2011 revolution.[81][82]
	Total	18 June 1953	26 March 2007	53 years, 281 days
Equatorial Guinea	Republic of Equatorial Guinea	7 July 1970	3 August 1979	9 years, 27 days	See the 1973 Equatorial Guinean constitutional referendum. Preamble: "The United National Workers' Party of Equatorial Guinea (PUNT), draws up the general policy of the nation, and coordinates and controls it through the State organs".[83] The United National Workers' Party was a political party based on African socialism.
Ghana	Republic of Ghana	1 July 1960	24 February 1966	5 years, 238 days	Part 1, Article 2: "In the confident expectation of an early surrender of sovereignty to a union of African states and territories, the people now confer on Parliament the power to provide for the surrender of the whole or any part of the sovereignty of Ghana".[84] See the 1960 Ghanaian constitutional referendum. Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of Ghana, is mentioned in the 1960 constitution. Nkrumah and his party, the Convention People's Party, were African socialists, whose party constitution stated: "To establish a socialist state in which all men and women shall have equal opportunity and where there shall be no capital[ist] exploitation".[85] Ghana's Seven Year Development plan included the task to "[e]mbark upon the socialist transformation of the economy through the rapid development of state and co-operative sectors".[86]
Guinea	People's Revolutionary Republic of Guinea	2 October 1958	3 April 1984	25 years, 184 days	From 1958 to 1984, the African socialist Democratic Party of Guinea – African Democratic Rally was the sole legal political party in Guinea.[87]
/ Iraq	Iraqi Republic	14 July 1958	8 February 1963	4 years, 209 days	From 1958 to 1963, the Iraqi Communist Party held significant power within the progressive military government of General Abd al-Karim Qasim. See the 14 July Revolution.[88]
		8 February 1963	17 July 1968	5 years, 160 days	From 1963 to 1968, the Arab Socialist Union was the sole legal political party in Iraq.[89]
	Iraqi Republic	17 July 1968	7 April 2005	36 years, 264 days	Chapter 1, Article 1: "Its [the country's] basic objective is the realization of one Arab State and the build-up of the socialist system".[90]
	Total	14 July 1958	7 April 2005	46 years, 267 days
/ Libya	Libyan Arab Republic	1 September 1969	2 March 1977	7 years, 182 days	Section 1, Article 6: "The aim of the state is the realization of socialism through the application of social justice which forbids any form of exploitation".[91]
	Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya	2 March 1977	15 April 1986	9 years, 44 days
	Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya	15 April 1986	23 October 2011	25 years, 191 days
	Total	1 September 1969	23 October 2011	42 years, 52 days
Mali	Republic of Mali	20 June 1960	26 March 1991	30 years, 251 days	From 1960 to 1968, the African socialist Sudanese Union – African Democratic Rally was the sole legal political party in Mali. The 1974 Malian constitution provided for a one-party system which was ruled by the socialist Democratic Union of the Malian People.[92]
Mauritania	Islamic Republic of Mauritania	25 December 1961	10 December 1984	16 years, 197 days	Chapter 1, Article 9: "The popular will is expressed through the democratically organized State Party. The Mauritanian People's Party, born from the merger of the national parties existing on December 25, 1961, is recognized as the only party of the State".[93] The Mauritanian People's Party was a political party based on Islamic socialism.
Senegal	Republic of Senegal	20 August 1960	24 April 1981	20 years, 247 days	From 1960 to 1975, the African socialist Senegalese Progressive Union (UPS) was the sole legal political party in Senegal and until 1981 there were only three parties allowed a socialist party (UPS), a liberal party and a communist party.[94]
Seychelles	Republic of Seychelles	5 June 1977	27 December 1991	14 years, 205 days	Preamble: "Seychelles is declared to be a sovereign socialist republic".[95]
Sierra Leone	Republic of Sierra Leone	12 July 1978	1 October 1991	13 years, 81 days	Chapter X, Article 176: "The All People's Congress established and in being immediately prior to the commencement of this Constitution shall continue in being thereafter and be deemed to be the One Party officially recognised in Sierra Leone".[96] The All People's Congress is a political party based on African socialism.
Sudan	Democratic Republic of the Sudan	25 May 1969	10 October 1985	16 years, 138 days	Preamble: "In the belief of our pursuit of freedom, socialism and democracy to achieve the society of sufficiency, justice and equality".[97]
/ Syria	Syrian Arab Republic	8 March 1963	27 February 2012	48 years, 356 days	Section 1, Article 8: "The leading party in the society and the state is the Socialist Arab Ba'ath Party. It leads a patriotic and progressive front seeking to unify the resources of the people's masses and place them at the service of the Arab nation's goals".[98]
Tunisia	Republic of Tunisia	22 October 1964	27 February 1988	23 years, 128 days	From 1964 to 1988, the Socialist Destourian Party was the sole legal political party in Tunisia.[99]
Zambia	Republic of Zambia	25 August 1973	24 August 1991	17 years, 364 days	Section 1, Article 4: "There shall be one and only one political party or organization in Zambia, namely, the United National Independence Party".[100] The United National Independence Party is a political party based on African socialism.

These are short-lived political entities that emerged during wars, revolutions, or unrest and declared themselves socialist under some interpretation of the term, but which did not survive long enough to create a stable government or achieve international recognition.

• Lyon Commune (4 September 1870 – 28 September 1870; 22 March 1871 – 25 March 1871)
• Paris Commune (18 March 1871 – 28 May 1871)
• Committee of Public Health (8 July 1873 – 13 July 1873)
• Republic of Guria (May 1902 – 10 January 1906)
• Strandzha Commune (18 August 1903 – 8 September 1903)
• Markovo Republic (31 October 1905 – 18 July 1906)
• Stary Buyan Republic (12 November 1905 – 26 November 1905)
• Chita Republic (22 November 1905 – 22 January 1906)
• Novorossiysk Republic (12 December 1905 – 25 December 1905)
• Shuliavka Republic (12 December 1905 – 16 December 1906)
• Comrat Republic (6 January 1906 – 12 January 1906)
•  Ukrainian People's Republic (1917–1921)
• Harbin Soviet (September 1917 – December 1918)
• Executive Committee of the Soviet of Workers, Soldiers, and the Landless in Latvia (21 November 1917 – 3 March 1918)
• Crimean People's Republic (1917–1918)
• Soviet Republic of Soldiers and Fortress-Builders of Naissaar (December 1917 – February 1918)
•  Belarusian People's Republic (1918–1919)
•  West Ukrainian People's Republic (1918–1919)
• Finnish Socialist Workers' Republic (28 January 1918 – 29 April 1918)
• Odessa Soviet Republic (31 January 1918 – 13 March 1918)
• Donetsk–Krivoy Rog Soviet Republic (12 February 1918 – May 1918)
• Baku Commune (13 April 1918 – 25 July 1918)
• Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic (22 April 1918 – 28 May 1918)
• Democratic Republic of Georgia (May 1918 – February 1921)
• Constitution Protection Region of Southern Fujian (1 September 1918 – 12 August 1920)
• Banat Republic (31 October 1918 – 20 February 1919)
• Republic of Tarnobrzeg (6 November 1918 – Spring 1919)
• People's State of Bavaria (8 November 1918 – 6 April 1919)
• Free Socialist Republic of Germany (9 November 1918 – 11 August 1919)
• Mainz Workers' and Soldiers' Council (9 November 1918 – 9 December 1918)
• Alsace-Lorraine Soviet Republic (10 November 1918 – 22 November 1918)
• Brussels Soldiers' Council (11-12 November 1918)
• Soviet Republic of Saxony (13 November 1918 – 11 May 1919)
• Commune of the Working People of Estonia (29 November 1918 – 5 June 1919)
• Latvian Socialist Soviet Republic (17 December 1918 – 13 January 1920)
• Hungarian People's Republic (16 November 1918 – 21 March 1919)
• Makhnovshchina (27 November 1918 – 28 August 1921)
• Würzburg Soviet Republic (7 April 1919 – 9 April 1919)
• Bremen Soviet Republic (10 January 1919 – 4 February 1919)
• Lithuanian–Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (27 February 1919 – 25 August 1919)
• Republic of Councils in Hungary (21 March 1919 – 6 August 1919)
• Mughan Soviet Republic (March 1919 – June 1919)
• Bavarian Soviet Republic (6 April 1919 – 3 May 1919)
• Limerick Soviet (14 April 1919 – 17 April 1919)
• Crimean Socialist Soviet Republic (28 April 1919 – 26 June 1919)
• Bessarabian Soviet Socialist Republic (May 1919 – September 1919; 15 September 1924 – 18 September 1924)
• Slovak Soviet Republic (16 June 1919 – 7 July 1919)
• Far Eastern Republic (6 April 1920 – 15 November 1922)
• Provisional People's Government of Mongolia (1921–1924)
• Persian Socialist Soviet Republic (9 June 1920 – September 1921)
• Galician Soviet Socialist Republic (8 July 1920 – 21 September 1920)
• Provisional Polish Revolutionary Committee (23 July 1920 – Late August 1920)
• Labin Republic (2 March 1921 – 8 April 1921)
• Serbian–Hungarian Baranya–Baja Republic (14 August 1921 – 20 August 1921)
• Soviet Zone (1927–1937)
  • Hunan Soviet (September 1927 – October 1927)
  • Guangzhou Soviet Government (12 December 1927 – 13 December 1927)
  • Central Revolutionary Base Area (1931–1934)
• Korean People's Association in Manchuria (1929–1931)
• Nghệ-Tĩnh Soviet (1930–1931)
•  Chinese Soviet Republic (7 November 1931 – 22 September 1937)
• Socialist Republic of Chile (4 June 1932 – 2 October 1932)
• People's Revolutionary Government of the Republic of China (22 November 1933 – 13 January 1934)
• Xinjiang Clique (1934–1941)
• Asturian Commune (October 1934)
• Regional Defence Council of Aragon (1936–1937)
• Revolutionary Catalonia (1936–1939)
• Sovereign Council of Asturias and León (6 September 1936 – 21 October 1937)
• Shaan-Gan-Ning Border Region (1937–1946)
• Finnish Democratic Republic (December 1939 – March 1940)
• Republic of Užice (28 July 1941 – 1 December 1941)
• Bihać Republic (4 November 1942 – 29 January 1943)
• Political Committee of National Liberation (10 March 1944 – 9 October 1944)
•  East Turkestan Republic (12 November 1944 – 27 June 1946)
• Red Republic of Caulonia (6 March 1945 – 9 March 1945)
• Inner Mongolian People's Republic (9 September 1945 – 6 November 1945)
• People's Republic of Korea (1945–1946)
• Soviet Civil Administration (1945–1949)
• Liberated Zone (1946–1949)
• Azerbaijan People's Government (November 1945 – December 1946)
• Republic of Mahabad (22 January 1946 – 15 December 1946)
• Provisional People's Committee for North Korea (1946–1947)
• People's Committee of North Korea (1947–1948)
• Provisional Democratic Government (1947–1949)
• Marquetalia Republic (1948–1964)
• Government of the National Front of the Region of Madiun (18 September 1948 – 19 December 1948)
• People's Republic of Zanzibar (1964)
• Republic of South Vietnam (8 June 1969 – 2 June 1976)
• State of the Comoros (3 August 1975–13 May 1978)
• People's Provisional Government (1977–1979)
• Junta of National Reconstruction (18 July 1979 – 10 January 1985)
• Democratic People's Republic of Angola (1979–1992)
• National Revolutionary Council (30 July 1981 – 5 August 1981)
• Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea (22 June 1982 – 24 September 1993)
• National Council for the Revolution (1984–1987)
• Republic of Kuwait (4 August 1990 – 28 August 1990)
• Democratic Republic of Yemen (21 May 1994 – 7 July 1994)
• Provisional Government of National Union and National Salvation of Cambodia (11 July 1994 – 22 June 1998)
• Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (8 June 2020 – 1 July 2020)

There are multiple states with socialist parties leading the government, sometimes together. Such states are not considered to be communist or socialist states because the countries themselves do not provide a constitutional role for their ruling socialist/communist parties or deem socialism a state ideology. This does not include socialist parties following social democracy, which have governed most of the Western world, much of Latin America, and other regions as part of the mainstream centre-left.

Country	Party	Electoral coalition	Election	Lower house	Upper house	Ideology
Angola[nb 29]	People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola	—	2017	150 / 220	—	Democratic socialism
Bolivia	Movement for Socialism	—	2020	75 / 130	21 / 36	Socialism of the 21st century
Brazil	Workers' Party	Brazil of Hope PSOL REDE Federation	2022	225 / 513	42 / 81	Lulism
	Socialism and Liberty Party					Democratic socialism
	Communist Party of Brazil					Marxism–Leninism
Chile	Social Convergence	Apruebo Dignidad Democratic Socialism	2021	67 / 155	18 / 50	Libertarian socialism
	Humanist Action
	Communist Party of Chile					Marxism–Leninism
	Democratic Revolution					Democratic socialism
	Unir Movement
	Socialist Party of Chile
	Commoners					Autonomist Marxism
Colombia	Patriotic Union	Historic Pact for Colombia	2022	28 / 188	20 / 108	Democratic socialism
	Commons					Marxism–Leninism
	Communist Party of Colombia
Greenland	Inuit Ataqatigiit	—	2021	12 / 31	—	Democratic socialism
Honduras	Liberty and Refoundation	—	2021	50 / 128	—	Democratic socialism
Iceland	Left-Green Movement	—	2021	8 / 63	—	Democratic socialism
Mozambique[nb 29]	Mozambique Liberation Front	—	2014	144 / 250	—	Democratic socialism
Mexico	Ecologist Green Party of Mexico	Juntos Hacemos Historia	2021	279 / 500	78 / 128	Eco-socialism
	Labor Party					Democratic socialism
	Morena					Socialism of the 21st century
Spain	Movimiento Sumar	Sumar	2023	28 / 350	7 / 266	Democratic socialism
	Coalició Compromís
	Chunta Aragonesista
	Més per Mallorca
	Communist Party of Spain					Marxism–Leninism
	EH Bildu	EH Bildu				Socialism
	Alternatiba
	Sortu					Socialism of the 21st century
	Galician Nationalist Bloc	—				Democratic socialism
Venezuela	United Socialist Party of Venezuela	Great Patriotic Pole	2020	246 / 277	—	Chavismo
	Movement We Are Venezuela
	Venezuelan Popular Unity
	Fatherland for All					Libertarian socialism
	Tupamaro					Marxism–Leninism
	People's Electoral Movement					Democratic socialism
	Authentic Renewal Organization					Christian socialism

Examples of previous direct communist or socialist party rule in non-socialist multi-party democracies include:

• Republic of San Marino (Sammarinese Communist Party, 1945–1957, 1978–1990)
• Indonesia (Socialist Party, 1945–1948)
• Union of Burma (Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League, 1948–1962)
• Republic of Uganda (Uganda People's Congress, 1960–1971; 1980–1985)
• Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Pakistan Peoples Party, 1970–1977; 1988–1990; 1993–1996; 2008–2013)
• Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor, 1975; 2002–2006; 2007; 2015–2018)
• Republic of Senegal^{[nb 30]} (Socialist Party of Senegal, 1975–2000)
• Republic of Vanuatu (Vanua'aku Pati, 1980–1994; 2009–2014)
• Burkina Faso (Organization for Popular Democracy – Labour Movement and Congress for Democracy and Progress, 1987–1996; 1996–2014)
• Republic of Tunisia^{[nb 30]} (Democratic Constitutional Rally, 1988–2011, Nidaa Tounes 2014–2019)
• Union of Soviet Socialist Republics^{[nb 31]} (Communist Party of the Soviet Union, 1990–1991)
• Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia^{[nb 29]} (Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, 1991–2019)
• Republic of Seychelles^{[nb 30]} (Seychelles People's Progressive Front, People's Party and United Seychelles, 1991–2009; 2009–2018; 2018–2020)
• Republic of Mali^{[nb 30]} (Alliance for Democracy in Mali and Rally for Mali, 1992–2002; 2012–2013; 2013–2020)
•  Federal Republic of Yugoslavia^{[nb 29]} (Socialist Party of Serbia, 1992–2000)
• Republic of Chad (Chadian Action for Unity and Socialism, 1993)
• Kingdom of Nepal/Nepal/Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal (Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and Nepal Communist Party, 1994–1998; 2008–2013; 2015–2017)^{[nb 32]}
• Republic of Madagascar^{[nb 30]} (Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar, 1997–2002)
• Russian Federation^{[nb 33]} (Communist Party of the Russian Federation, 1998–1999)^{[nb 34]}
• Republic of Moldova^{[nb 33]} (Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova, 2001–2009)
• Oriental Republic of Uruguay (Socialist Party of Uruguay, 2005–2010; 2015–2020 and Movement of Popular Participation 2010–2015)
• Republic of Sierra Leone^{[nb 30]} (All People's Congress, 2007–2018)
• Republic of Cyprus (Progressive Party of Working People, 2008–2013)
• Republic of El Salvador (Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front, 2009–2019)
• Republic of Suriname (National Democratic Party, 2010–2020)
• Chile (Popular Unity, 1970–1973)
• Peru (Perú Libre, 2021–2022)

• List of anarchist communities
• Communist state
• Second World
• People's republic
• Socialism in one country
• Socialist-leaning countries
• State socialism