Latvian National Independence Movement
Encyclopedia
The Latvian National Independence Movement (Latvijas Nacionālās Neatkarības Kustība or LNNK) was a political organization in Latvia
from 1988 till mid-1990s.
It formed in 1988, as the radical wing of Latvian nationalist movement. Unlike the mainstream Latvian Popular Front which originally supported more autonomy for Latvia within Soviet Union
, LNNK insisted on independence from Soviet Union from its beginning. The leaders of LNNK included Eduards Berklavs
, Aleksandrs Kiršteins, Andrejs Krastiņš, Einars Repše and Juris Dobelis.
After Latvia gaining independence, LNNK became a political party and renamed itself National Conservative Party. It won 15 seats out of 100 in 1993 parliamentary election
and was an influential opposition party. In 1993 its candidate for Prime Minister was Joachim Siegerist
, who lost by only one vote and ended up second. LNNK won the municipal election in Latvian capital, Riga
in 1994 but its popularity quickly faded after that. It lost half of its seats in the parliament in 1995 parliamentary election
and eventually merged with Tēvzemei un Brīvībai (Fatherland and Freedom), another right-wing party with similar origins in the Latvian independence movement.
Since entering into a coalition with For Fatherland and Freedom
, the party increasingly sought to propagate a particularly 'Latvian' vision for Latvia as highlighted by a series of controversial adverts encouraging the consumption of Latvian goods, and warning of the dangers of non-Latvians
An organization with similar aims and almost identical name - Estonian National Independence Party - existed in Estonia.
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
from 1988 till mid-1990s.
It formed in 1988, as the radical wing of Latvian nationalist movement. Unlike the mainstream Latvian Popular Front which originally supported more autonomy for Latvia within Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, LNNK insisted on independence from Soviet Union from its beginning. The leaders of LNNK included Eduards Berklavs
Eduards Berklavs
Eduards Berklavs was a Latvian politician.Eduards Berklavs was born in the Kuldīga District. During his youth, he was active in labour and communist organizations. In 1930s, he was arrested and served a prison sentence for his communist activities...
, Aleksandrs Kiršteins, Andrejs Krastiņš, Einars Repše and Juris Dobelis.
After Latvia gaining independence, LNNK became a political party and renamed itself National Conservative Party. It won 15 seats out of 100 in 1993 parliamentary election
Latvian parliamentary election, 1993
Elections for the 5th Saeima, the parliament of Latvia were held on 5 June and 6 June 1993, the first parliamentary elections in Latvia after its independence was restored in 1991....
and was an influential opposition party. In 1993 its candidate for Prime Minister was Joachim Siegerist
Joachim Siegerist
Werner Joachim Siegerist is a German-Latvian journalist, author and conservative politician. He is chairman of the anti-communist German Conservatives and co-publisher of the Konservative Deutsche Zeitung...
, who lost by only one vote and ended up second. LNNK won the municipal election in Latvian capital, Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
in 1994 but its popularity quickly faded after that. It lost half of its seats in the parliament in 1995 parliamentary election
Latvian parliamentary election, 1995
Elections for 6th Saeima, the parliament of Latvia were held on September 30 and October 1, 1995. There were lists of candidates from 19 political parties. The voter participation was 72.65%, with 965,339 out of 1,328,779 eligible voters casting votes....
and eventually merged with Tēvzemei un Brīvībai (Fatherland and Freedom), another right-wing party with similar origins in the Latvian independence movement.
Since entering into a coalition with For Fatherland and Freedom
For Fatherland and Freedom
For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK , abbreviated to TB/LNNK, was a free market national conservative political party in Latvia. It has two members in Latvia's parliament, the Saeima, and belongs to the National Alliance, which has eight seats....
, the party increasingly sought to propagate a particularly 'Latvian' vision for Latvia as highlighted by a series of controversial adverts encouraging the consumption of Latvian goods, and warning of the dangers of non-Latvians
An organization with similar aims and almost identical name - Estonian National Independence Party - existed in Estonia.