Latvian parliamentary election, 2011
Encyclopedia
An early parliamentary election was held in Latvia
on 17 September 2011, following the country's first parliamentary dissolution referendum
held on 23 July 2011. The last parliamentary election was held only in October 2010.
The election resulted in Harmony Centre
winning the most seats, up two to 31. This was the first time a pro-Russia
n party had won the most seats in a Latvian election. Unity
, previously the largest party, fell to third, with 20 seats, behind the newly formed Zatlers' Reform Party
, led by ex-President Valdis Zatlers
, who had triggered the dissolution referendum in May. The right-wing National Alliance
gained six seats to 14. Both the Union of Greens and Farmers
and Latvia's First Party/Latvian Way lost heavily, with the latter falling out of the Saeima altogether.
Zatlers and incumbent Prime Minister
Valdis Dombrovskis
soon agreed to form a coalition. Needing nine further seats to give them a majority allowed three possible coalitions – with Harmony Centre, the National Alliance, or the Union of Greens and Farmers. The Greens and Farmers were quickly ruled out by Zatlers, who judged it to be an "oligarch
's party". After initial talks with the National Alliance, the two briefly discussed a grand coalition
with Harmony Centre. However, Zatlers and Unity returned to the National Alliance, and the three signed a coalition agreement on 11 October, with Dombrovskis as Prime Minister. The new government was confirmed by the Saeima on 25 October. A few days before the government formation, six MPs split from Zatlers' Reform Party; they still supported the new government, however.
party, led by Nils Ušakovs
, finished with about 29% of the vote, followed by Zatlers' Reform Party
with 21% and the Unity
party with 18%. The National Alliance
and the Union of Greens and Farmers
were the only other parties to enter Parliament, with fourteen and twelve percent of the vote, respectively. Harmony Centre's victory was the first for a pro-Russian party since Latvia's independence; the party has ties to United Russia
.
will remain Prime Minister
, despite his party finishing behind the Reform Party, to keep markets stable.
Zatlers stated on 1 October 2011 that he preferred a coalition with Dombrovskis as PM and including Harmony Centre. However, on 10 October 2011, reports indicated a coalition with the National Alliance was all but certain.
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...
on 17 September 2011, following the country's first parliamentary dissolution referendum
Latvian parliamentary dissolution referendum, 2011
A referendum on whether the Saeima should be dissolved early was held in Latvia on 23 July 2011. President Valdis Zatlers used his parliamentary dissolution power for the first time in the history of Latvia...
held on 23 July 2011. The last parliamentary election was held only in October 2010.
The election resulted in Harmony Centre
Harmony Centre
Harmony Centre is a political alliance in Latvia. It was formed in 2005 and its member parties are the Social Democratic Party "Harmony" and the Socialist Party of Latvia Harmony Centre (abbreviated SC; ) is a political alliance in Latvia. It was formed in 2005 and its member parties are the...
winning the most seats, up two to 31. This was the first time a pro-Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n party had won the most seats in a Latvian election. Unity
Unity (Latvia)
Unity is a Latvian centre-right political party, founded as an electoral alliance of the New Era Party, the Civic Union and the Society for Other Politics on 6 March 2010...
, previously the largest party, fell to third, with 20 seats, behind the newly formed Zatlers' Reform Party
Zatlers' Reform Party
The Zatlers' Reform Party is a centre-right political party in Latvia founded by the former President Valdis Zatlers on 23 July 2011. It has 22 seats in the Saeima, making it the second-largest party in the legislature....
, led by ex-President Valdis Zatlers
Valdis Zatlers
Valdis Zatlers is a Latvian politician and former physician who served as the seventh president of Latvia from 2007 to 2011. He won the Latvian presidential election of 31 May 2007...
, who had triggered the dissolution referendum in May. The right-wing National Alliance
National Alliance (Latvia)
The National Alliance, officially the National Alliance "All For Latvia!" – "For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK" , abbreviated to NA, is a right-wing political party in Latvia. With fourteen seats in the Saeima, the National Alliance is the fourth-largest party in the legislature...
gained six seats to 14. Both the Union of Greens and Farmers
Union of Greens and Farmers
Union of Greens and Farmers is a green/agrarian and conservative political alliance in Latvia. It consists of two political parties: Latvian Farmers' Union and the Green Party of Latvia . It is the third-largest party in the Saeima....
and Latvia's First Party/Latvian Way lost heavily, with the latter falling out of the Saeima altogether.
Zatlers and incumbent Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Latvia
The Prime Minister of Latvia is the most powerful member of the Government of the Republic of Latvia, and presides over the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers...
Valdis Dombrovskis
Valdis Dombrovskis
Valdis Dombrovskis is the Prime Minister of Latvia. He previously served as Latvia's Minister of Finance and as a Member of the European Parliament for the New Era Party.-Education and science career:...
soon agreed to form a coalition. Needing nine further seats to give them a majority allowed three possible coalitions – with Harmony Centre, the National Alliance, or the Union of Greens and Farmers. The Greens and Farmers were quickly ruled out by Zatlers, who judged it to be an "oligarch
Business oligarch
Business oligarch is a near-synonym of the term "business magnate", borrowed by the English speaking and western media from post-Soviet parlance to describe the huge, fast-acquired wealth of some businessmen of the former Soviet republics during the privatization in Russia and other post-Soviet...
's party". After initial talks with the National Alliance, the two briefly discussed a grand coalition
Grand coalition
A grand coalition is an arrangement in a multi-party parliamentary system in which the two largest political parties of opposing political ideologies unite in a coalition government...
with Harmony Centre. However, Zatlers and Unity returned to the National Alliance, and the three signed a coalition agreement on 11 October, with Dombrovskis as Prime Minister. The new government was confirmed by the Saeima on 25 October. A few days before the government formation, six MPs split from Zatlers' Reform Party; they still supported the new government, however.
Background
Prior to the election, a number of changes in Latvia's party system occurred:- The Social Democratic Party "Harmony"Social Democratic Party "Harmony"The Social Democratic Party "Harmony" is a Latvian center-left party founded on 10 February 2010 by most of the constituent organisations of the Harmony Centre alliance: the National Harmony Party, the New Centre and the Social Democratic Party The Social Democratic Party "Harmony" is a Latvian...
absorbed Daugavpils City PartyDaugavpils City PartyThe Daugavpils City Party was a regionalist political party located in the city of Daugavpils, Latvia. It was formed in 2000 and led by Daugavpils Mayor Vitālijs Azarevičs....
. - The People's PartyPeople's Party (Latvia)The People's Party was a centre-right political party in Latvia. It described itself as a conservative party.Tautas partija was founded in 1998 by Andris Šķēle, a businessman and former prime minister, who was the chairman of the party until 2002. Because of Šķēle's powerful personality, many...
dissolved itself amid high debts and quickly sinking popularity. - For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK and All For Latvia!All For Latvia!All For Latvia! was a nationalist political party in Latvia.All For Latvia! started as a political youth organization in 2000 and became a political party in January 2006, running in 2006 elections. It won 1.48% of vote and no seats in the parliament...
turned their election alliance National AllianceNational Alliance (Latvia)The National Alliance, officially the National Alliance "All For Latvia!" – "For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK" , abbreviated to NA, is a right-wing political party in Latvia. With fourteen seats in the Saeima, the National Alliance is the fourth-largest party in the legislature...
into a joint party. - The New Era PartyNew Era PartyThe New Era Party , abbreviated to JL, was a centre-right political party in Latvia. Founded in 2002, the party merged with Civic Union and Society for Other Politics to form Unity in 2011....
, Civic UnionCivic UnionThe term Civic Union designates many different political parties, both former and modern ones:* Civic Union , from Argentina* Civic Union , from Latvia* Civic Union , from Uruguay* The Civic Union Party, from Perú...
and Society for Other PoliticsSociety for Other PoliticsThe Society for Political Change , abbreviated to SCP, was a social liberal political party in Latvia founded on 6 September 2008. Its members include two former ministers, former foreign minister Artis Pabriks and former economics minister Aigars Štokenbergs; its first president was economist...
turned their election alliance UnityUnity (Latvia)Unity is a Latvian centre-right political party, founded as an electoral alliance of the New Era Party, the Civic Union and the Society for Other Politics on 6 March 2010...
into a joint party. - Former president Valdis ZatlersValdis ZatlersValdis Zatlers is a Latvian politician and former physician who served as the seventh president of Latvia from 2007 to 2011. He won the Latvian presidential election of 31 May 2007...
(responsible for the referendum) founded Zatlers' Reform PartyZatlers' Reform PartyThe Zatlers' Reform Party is a centre-right political party in Latvia founded by the former President Valdis Zatlers on 23 July 2011. It has 22 seats in the Saeima, making it the second-largest party in the legislature....
, which is enjoying great popularity in election polls. Zatlers' stated goal is to remove the influence of oligarchs on Latvian politics; with the dissolution of the People's Party, the parties Zatlers considers to represent oligarchs are the Union of Greens and FarmersUnion of Greens and FarmersUnion of Greens and Farmers is a green/agrarian and conservative political alliance in Latvia. It consists of two political parties: Latvian Farmers' Union and the Green Party of Latvia . It is the third-largest party in the Saeima....
and Latvia's First Party/Latvian Way.
Result
The Harmony CentreHarmony Centre
Harmony Centre is a political alliance in Latvia. It was formed in 2005 and its member parties are the Social Democratic Party "Harmony" and the Socialist Party of Latvia Harmony Centre (abbreviated SC; ) is a political alliance in Latvia. It was formed in 2005 and its member parties are the...
party, led by Nils Ušakovs
Nils Ušakovs
Nils Ušakovs or Nil Ushakov is a Latvian journalist and politician. Since November 2005, he is the leader of the social democratic party alliance, Harmony Centre, which enjoys the support of Latvia's large ethnic Russian population. He was elected as a Member of the 9th Saeima in 2006...
, finished with about 29% of the vote, followed by Zatlers' Reform Party
Zatlers' Reform Party
The Zatlers' Reform Party is a centre-right political party in Latvia founded by the former President Valdis Zatlers on 23 July 2011. It has 22 seats in the Saeima, making it the second-largest party in the legislature....
with 21% and the Unity
Unity (Latvia)
Unity is a Latvian centre-right political party, founded as an electoral alliance of the New Era Party, the Civic Union and the Society for Other Politics on 6 March 2010...
party with 18%. The National Alliance
National Alliance (Latvia)
The National Alliance, officially the National Alliance "All For Latvia!" – "For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK" , abbreviated to NA, is a right-wing political party in Latvia. With fourteen seats in the Saeima, the National Alliance is the fourth-largest party in the legislature...
and the Union of Greens and Farmers
Union of Greens and Farmers
Union of Greens and Farmers is a green/agrarian and conservative political alliance in Latvia. It consists of two political parties: Latvian Farmers' Union and the Green Party of Latvia . It is the third-largest party in the Saeima....
were the only other parties to enter Parliament, with fourteen and twelve percent of the vote, respectively. Harmony Centre's victory was the first for a pro-Russian party since Latvia's independence; the party has ties to United Russia
United Russia
United Russia is a centrist political party in Russia and the largest party in the country, currently holding 315 of the 450 seats in the State Duma. The party was founded in December 2001, through a merger of the Unity and Fatherland-All Russia parties...
.
Government formation
Despite winning the most seats, Harmony Centre, was unable to come to an agreement to form a coalition that would hold a majority in parliament immediately after the election. Usakovs entered talks with Zatlers Reform Party and Unity following the election with the aim of forming a coalition, though political analysts said that a potential stumbling block in the talks could be the opposition of other parties to Harmony Centre's connections to Russia. The most likely potential coalition was predicted to be Zatlers' Reform Party, Unity and National Alliance. It is believed that Valdis DombrovskisValdis Dombrovskis
Valdis Dombrovskis is the Prime Minister of Latvia. He previously served as Latvia's Minister of Finance and as a Member of the European Parliament for the New Era Party.-Education and science career:...
will remain Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Latvia
The Prime Minister of Latvia is the most powerful member of the Government of the Republic of Latvia, and presides over the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers...
, despite his party finishing behind the Reform Party, to keep markets stable.
Zatlers stated on 1 October 2011 that he preferred a coalition with Dombrovskis as PM and including Harmony Centre. However, on 10 October 2011, reports indicated a coalition with the National Alliance was all but certain.
External links
Official election results- Vladimir SocorVladimir SocorVladimir Socor is a political analyst of East European affairs for the Jamestown Foundation and its Eurasia Daily Monitor, currently residing in Munich, Germany...
: Latvia Facing Its Toughest Test Since 1991 In Upcoming Elections (Part One), in: jamestown.org, July 27, 2011. - Vladimir SocorVladimir SocorVladimir Socor is a political analyst of East European affairs for the Jamestown Foundation and its Eurasia Daily Monitor, currently residing in Munich, Germany...
: Realignments In Latvia’s Political Landscape Ahead of Crucial Elections (Part Two), in: jamestown.org, July 28, 2011. - NSD: European Election Database - Latvia publishes regional level election data; allows for comparisons of election results, 1990-2011