Socialist Unity Party (Germany)

The Socialist Unity Party (Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands, SED) was a political party in East Germany (German Democratic Republic) from 1946 until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. It emerged from a merger of the Communist Party and a faction of the Social Democratic Party, promoting a Marxist-Leninist ideology. The SED was the ruling party, controlling the government and economy, while emphasizing state ownership and central planning. After the reunification of Germany, the party transformed into the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) and later became part of The Left party (Die Linke), which continues to advocate for socialist policies in united Germany.