National Harmony Party
Encyclopedia
The National Harmony Party (Latvian
: Tautas Saskaņas partija, TSP; ) was a political party
in Latvia
.
The party identified itself as a social-democratic
party. It supported further liberalisation of the citizenship law by granting citizenship to each non-citizen
who had lived in Latvia for at least 10 years. (The present law only allows most of them to apply for citizenship through the process of naturalization
). It also supported expanding education in minority languages (mainly Russian).
The roots of the TSP lied within the moderate wing of Popular Front of Latvia
, the Latvian independence movement of late 1980s and early 1990s. Its leader, Jānis Jurkāns
, was the first Minister of Foreign Affairs of newly independent Latvia, from 1990 to 1992 when he had to leave the government for his stance on relations with Russia
. Together with other activists, Jurkāns founded the Harmony for Latvia (Saskaņa Latvijai - Atdzimšana Tautsaimniecībai) alliance, which won 13 seats (out of 100) in the 1993 parliamentary election
. The alliance split in 1994, with the free-market liberal wing becoming the Political Union of Economists
and the social-democratic wing becoming the National Harmony Party. Jānis Jurkāns served as its leader from then until 2005, when he resigned. The party's last Chairman was Jānis Urbanovičs.
Since its foundation, the party was popular with ethnically Russian voters for its moderate views on issues of citizenship and state language. Unlike the other parties popular with Russians, it also had a considerable amount of ethnic Latvians in its leadership and was attempting to bridge the gap between the two communities. It won 6 seats during 1995 parliamentary election
. In 1998, it allied with two other predominantly Russian parties, Latvian Socialist Party and Equal Rights
, both of which held more radical pro-Russian positions. This step seriously damaged the reputation of TSP amongst ethnic Latvians. The three parties founded the For Human Rights in United Latvia
alliance. At the legislative elections
, on 5 October 2002, the alliance won 18.9 % at the popular vote, gaining 25 of the 100 seats in the Saeima
. In 2003, TSP left the alliance. It won no seats during the European Parliament elections in 2004, and in 2005 also lost its representation at the Riga City council.
In 2005, the party entered the alliance Harmony Centre
, as did the Latvian Socialist Party, one of its former partners in the For Human Rights in United Latvia. Harmony Centre won 17 seats in the 2006 elections. The National Harmony Party merged into the Social Democratic Party "Harmony"
on 10 February 2010.
Latvian language
Latvian is the official state language of Latvia. It is also sometimes referred to as Lettish. There are about 1.4 million native Latvian speakers in Latvia and about 150,000 abroad. The Latvian language has a relatively large number of non-native speakers, atypical for a small language...
: Tautas Saskaņas partija, TSP; ) was a political party
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...
in Latvia
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...
.
The party identified itself as a social-democratic
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
party. It supported further liberalisation of the citizenship law by granting citizenship to each non-citizen
Non-citizens (Latvia)
Non-citizens in Latvian law are individuals who are not citizens of Latvia or any other country but, who, in accordance with the Latvian law "Regarding the status of citizens of the former USSR who possess neither Latvian nor other citizenship", have the right to a non-citizen passport issued by...
who had lived in Latvia for at least 10 years. (The present law only allows most of them to apply for citizenship through the process of naturalization
Naturalization
Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship and nationality by somebody who was not a citizen of that country at the time of birth....
). It also supported expanding education in minority languages (mainly Russian).
The roots of the TSP lied within the moderate wing of Popular Front of Latvia
Popular Front of Latvia
The 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....
, the Latvian independence movement of late 1980s and early 1990s. Its leader, Jānis Jurkāns
Jānis Jurkāns
Jānis Jurkāns is a Latvian politician, one of the leaders of the Latvian Popular Front, who served as foreign minister .- Biography :...
, was the first Minister of Foreign Affairs of newly independent Latvia, from 1990 to 1992 when he had to leave the government for his stance on relations with 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...
. Together with other activists, Jurkāns founded the Harmony for Latvia (Saskaņa Latvijai - Atdzimšana Tautsaimniecībai) alliance, which won 13 seats (out of 100) in the 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....
. The alliance split in 1994, with the free-market liberal wing becoming the Political Union of Economists
Political Union of Economists
The Political Union of Economists , abbreviated to TPA, was a centre-left political party in Latvia during the 1990s. It was strongly pro-economic liberalisation. It was founded in February 1994, and was lead by Edvīns Kibe....
and the social-democratic wing becoming the National Harmony Party. Jānis Jurkāns served as its leader from then until 2005, when he resigned. The party's last Chairman was Jānis Urbanovičs.
Since its foundation, the party was popular with ethnically Russian voters for its moderate views on issues of citizenship and state language. Unlike the other parties popular with Russians, it also had a considerable amount of ethnic Latvians in its leadership and was attempting to bridge the gap between the two communities. It won 6 seats during 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....
. In 1998, it allied with two other predominantly Russian parties, Latvian Socialist Party and Equal Rights
Equal Rights (Latvia)
Equal Rights was a political party in Latvia, mainly supported by the Russian minority.ER was founded on the basis of the "Equal Rights" faction of the Supreme Soviet as an NGO in 1993. The Equal Rights faction had been founded in April, 1990, after the Latvian parliamentary election, 1990.The...
, both of which held more radical pro-Russian positions. This step seriously damaged the reputation of TSP amongst ethnic Latvians. The three parties founded the For Human Rights in United Latvia
For Human Rights in United Latvia
For Human Rights in United Latvia is a left-wing political party in Latvia, supported mainly by ethnic Russians and other non-Latvian minorities. Co-chairpersons of its Ruling Board are Tatjana Ždanoka, Jakovs Pliners and Miroslav Mitrofanov....
alliance. At the legislative elections
Elections in Latvia
Elections in Latvia gives information on election and election results in Latvia.Latvia elects on national level a legislature. The Saeima has 100 members, elected for a four year term by proportional representation with a 5% threshold. An unmodified Sainte-Laguë method is used to allocate seats....
, on 5 October 2002, the alliance won 18.9 % at the popular vote, gaining 25 of the 100 seats in the Saeima
Saeima
Saeima is the parliament of the Republic of Latvia. It is a unicameral parliament consisting of 100 members who are elected by proportional representation, with seats allocated to political parties which gain at least 5% of the popular vote. Elections are scheduled to be held once every four years,...
. In 2003, TSP left the alliance. It won no seats during the European Parliament elections in 2004, and in 2005 also lost its representation at the Riga City council.
In 2005, the party entered the alliance 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...
, as did the Latvian Socialist Party, one of its former partners in the For Human Rights in United Latvia. Harmony Centre won 17 seats in the 2006 elections. The National Harmony Party merged into 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...
on 10 February 2010.
External links
- http://www.tsp.lv (offline)
- http://www.saskanascentrs.lv (in Russian and Latvian)