Socialist Party of Latvia
Encyclopedia
The Socialist Party of Latvia was formed in 1994 as a successor party to the Communist Party of Latvia
, which was banned in 1991. In essence, the party is communist; according to the programme of the party, the LSP was founded as an organization upholding socialist ideas after the 1991 events that the party describes as a 'counter-revolutionary bourgeois-nationalist coup'.
The current president of the party is Alfrēds Rubiks
, once mayor of Riga
and later leader of the unionist movement and head of the Latvian Communist Party (CPSU platform). He was imprisoned for six years in 1991 on charges of participating in a coup d'état
against the Latvian authorities in August 1991. He is not one of the party's members in the Saeima
(Latvian Parliament) since he is not allowed to contest elections. However, his son Artūrs Rubiks is a member of Saeima, representing the Socialist Party.
The LSP is more popular among the Russian-speaking
population of Latvia. It places a high priority on issues important to ethnic Russians
, such as language and citizenship laws. The party also believes that Latvian citizenship should be granted to all citizens of USSR living in Latvia in 1990. This would entail a major change in the current law which only gives automatic citizenship to descendants of people who were citizens of the Republic of Latvia before it was occupied
by the Soviet Union in 1940 and requires the Soviet citizens who moved to Latvia between 1940 and 1990 (mainly Russians) to go through a naturalization
process.
In the election
, on 5 October 2002, the party was part of the For Human Rights in United Latvia
coalition that won 19.0% of the popular vote and 25 out of 100 seats. (5 of those seats went to Socialist Party.) The party was a member of this alliance of predominantly Russian-speaking parties from 1998 to 2003.
Today, the party's platform is centered on anti-corruption and promoting an independent Latvia that is free from EU
centralised power. In 2005, the LSP entered the "Harmony Centre
" coalition, which won 17 seats in the 2006 election. 4 of these 17 parliament members are representatives of the Socialist Party.
Communist Party of Latvia
Communist Party of Latvia was a political party in Latvia.- Latvian Social-Democracy prior to 1919 :The party was founded at a congress in June 1904. Initially the party was known as the Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party . During its second party congress in 1905 it adopted the programme of...
, which was banned in 1991. In essence, the party is communist; according to the programme of the party, the LSP was founded as an organization upholding socialist ideas after the 1991 events that the party describes as a 'counter-revolutionary bourgeois-nationalist coup'.
The current president of the party is Alfrēds Rubiks
Alfreds Rubiks
Alfrēds Rubiks is a Latvian Socialist politician and a former leader of the Communist Party of Latvia. Currently he is the Member of the European Parliament from Latvia...
, once mayor of 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,...
and later leader of the unionist movement and head of the Latvian Communist Party (CPSU platform). He was imprisoned for six years in 1991 on charges of participating in a coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
against the Latvian authorities in August 1991. He is not one of the party's members 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,...
(Latvian Parliament) since he is not allowed to contest elections. However, his son Artūrs Rubiks is a member of Saeima, representing the Socialist Party.
The LSP is more popular among the Russian-speaking
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
population of Latvia. It places a high priority on issues important to ethnic Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
, such as language and citizenship laws. The party also believes that Latvian citizenship should be granted to all citizens of USSR living in Latvia in 1990. This would entail a major change in the current law which only gives automatic citizenship to descendants of people who were citizens of the Republic of Latvia before it was occupied
Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940
The Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940 refers, according to the European Court of Human Rights, the Government of Latvia, the State Department of the United States of America, and the European Union, to the military occupation of the Republic of Latvia by the Soviet Union ostensibly under the...
by the Soviet Union in 1940 and requires the Soviet citizens who moved to Latvia between 1940 and 1990 (mainly Russians) to go through a 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....
process.
In the election
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 party was part of 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....
coalition that won 19.0% of the popular vote and 25 out of 100 seats. (5 of those seats went to Socialist Party.) The party was a member of this alliance of predominantly Russian-speaking parties from 1998 to 2003.
Today, the party's platform is centered on anti-corruption and promoting an independent Latvia that is free from EU
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
centralised power. In 2005, the LSP entered the "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...
" coalition, which won 17 seats in the 2006 election. 4 of these 17 parliament members are representatives of the Socialist Party.
External links
- Latsocpartija.lv, Official website ,