Liberalism in Latvia
Encyclopedia
This article gives an overview of liberalism in Latvia
. It is limited to liberal
parties
with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ denotes another party in that scheme. For inclusion in this scheme it isn't necessary so that parties labeled themselves as a liberal party.
(Latvijas Ceļš, member LI
, ELDR) is a right of center market liberal party. Currently the the party has merged with the Latvian First Party to form LPP/LC
.
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...
. It is limited to liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
parties
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ denotes another party in that scheme. For inclusion in this scheme it isn't necessary so that parties labeled themselves as a liberal party.
History
Liberalism in Latvia was a small but important force since 1922 in Latvia. The current regained position after the re-independence of 1990. Nowadays the Latvian WayLatvian Way
Latvian Way was a centre-right liberal party in Latvia. It merged with Latvia's First Party to form the Latvia's First Party/Latvian Way in 2007.It described itself as "a liberal party defending people's freedom to shape their own lives"...
(Latvijas Ceļš, member LI
Liberal International
Liberal International is a political international federation for liberal parties. Its headquarters is located at 1 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2HD within the National Liberal Club. It was founded in Oxford in 1947, and has become the pre-eminent network for liberal parties and for the...
, ELDR) is a right of center market liberal party. Currently the the party has merged with the Latvian First Party to form LPP/LC
LPP/LC
Latvia's First Party/Latvian Way is a Latvian political party, created from the merger of the Christian democratic Latvia's First Party , the liberal Latvian Way and the regionalist We for our District and Vidzeme Union in 2007. These parties had already formed an electoral coalition in 2006...
.
German Baltic Democratic Party
- 1918: Moderate German liberals in Latvia formed the German-Baltic Democratic Party (Deutsch-Baltische Demokratische Partei/Vācbaltu demokrātiskā partija)
- 1934: The party is banned, along with all other political parties, after a coup by Kārlis UlmanisKarlis UlmanisKārlis Augusts Vilhelms Ulmanis was a prominent Latvian politician in pre-World War II Latvia during the Latvian period of independence from 1918 to 1940.- Education and early career :Ulmanis studied agriculture at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and...
German Baltic Progressive Party
- 1918: Radical German liberals in Latvia formed the German-Baltic Progressive Party (Deutsch-Baltische Fortschrittliche Partei/Vācbaltu prpgresīvā partija)
- 1934: The party is banned
From Democratic Party to Democratic Centre
- 1922: Shortly after its foundation the Democratic Party (Demokrātiskā Partija) merged with the Radical Democratic Party and the People's Party (Ļaužu Partija) into the Democratic Centre (Demokrātiskais Centrs). The party is led by the later presidents of Latvia, Jānis ČaksteJanis CaksteJānis Čakste was a Latvian politician and lawyer who served as the first head of independent Latvian state as the Chairman of Tautas Padome , the Speaker of the Constitutional Assembly , and as the first President of Latvia .- Youth :Čakste was born in the...
and Gustavs ZemgalsGustavs ZemgalsGustavs Zemgals was a Latvian politician and the second President of Latvia....
. - 1934: The party is banned. In exile it is continued by the Liberal Party (Liberāļu partija)
Latgalian Democratic Party
- 1920: Latgalian liberals formed the Latgalian Democratic Party (Latgales demokrātu partija)
- 1926: The party merged into the Latgalian Democratic Farmers Union (Latgales demokrātisko zemnieku savienība)
Mizrochi
- 1922: Liberal Jewish zionists formed the MizrochiMizrachi (political party)Mizrachi was a political party in Israel and is one of the ancestors of the modern-day National Religious Party.-History:The Mizrachi movement was founded in 1902 in Vilnius as a religious Zionist organisation. It also had a trade union, Hapoel HaMizrachi, started in 1921...
- 1934: The party is banned
From Democratic Centre Party to Latvian Democratic Party
- 1992: A Democratic Centre Party (Demokrātiskā centra partija) is founded as a refoundation of the ⇒ Democratic Centre
- 1994: The party merged with another group into the Democratic party "Saimnieks"Democratic Party "Saimnieks"The Democratic Party "Saimnieks" was a Latvian centre-left political party formed through the merger of the Latvian Democratic Party and the political party "Saimnieks" in 1995. It won the Latvian parliamentary election, 1995 and was represented with 18 deputies in the Saeima of 6th convocation...
(Demokrātiskā partija "Saimnieks") - 1997: Many members left to join the Labour Party and the Latvian National Reform Party
- 1999: The party is renamed Latvian Democratic Party (Latvijas demokrātiskā partija)
Latvia's Way
- 1993: Liberals from the Popular Front of LatviaPopular Front of LatviaThe Popular Front of Latvia was a political organization in Latvia in late 1980s and early 1990s which led Latvia to its independence from the Soviet Union. It was similar to the Popular Front of Estonia and the Sąjūdis movement in Lithuania....
formed the Latvia's WayLatvian WayLatvian Way was a centre-right liberal party in Latvia. It merged with Latvia's First Party to form the Latvia's First Party/Latvian Way in 2007.It described itself as "a liberal party defending people's freedom to shape their own lives"...
(Latvijas Ceļš) - 2006: Latvia's Way forged an alliance with the Latvia's First Party, forming the LPP/LCLPP/LCLatvia's First Party/Latvian Way is a Latvian political party, created from the merger of the Christian democratic Latvia's First Party , the liberal Latvian Way and the regionalist We for our District and Vidzeme Union in 2007. These parties had already formed an electoral coalition in 2006...
. - 2010: LPP/LC joined hands with 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...
to form the For a Good Latvia (Par Labu Latviju) alliance. - 2011: 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...
is disbanded, so is the PLL alliance.
See also
- History of LatviaHistory of LatviaThe History of Latvia began when the area which is today Latvia was settled following the end of the last glacial period, around 9000 BC. Ancient Baltic peoples appeared during the second millennium BC and four distinct tribal realms in Latvia's territories were identifiable towards the end of the...
- Politics of LatviaPolitics of LatviaThe politics of Latvia takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. The President holds a primarily ceremonial role as Head of State. Executive power is exercised by the government...
- List of political parties in Latvia