Latvian Current Events: A Dynamic Perspective by Hope Coulter

(Source: Getty Images)
Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis

Latvian Current Events

This past month, Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis (Greens and Farmers party) expressed his continued support for the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the European Union and Canada. Although opposition to the deal is concerned that it will allow multinational companies an unhealthy amount of power and put the EU’s environmental and consumer protection standards at risk, Kucinskis emphasized ways in which the agreement will benefit Latvian business, by providing a new foreign market for Latvian agricultural industries and entrepreneurs. CETA talks scheduled for Thursday may be blocked by a socialist region of Belgium, the only EU country that has not been able to officially support the talks. (The Baltic Times, Reuters, BBC News) 

The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (born Lhamo Thondup) has just returned home from his tour of five European states, during which he spent two days speaking in Riga to a crowd of supporters from a number of Baltic States and Russia. The Dalai Lama encouraged Buddhists in the region to unite across political and cultural differences to focus on their shared beliefs. Meeting with Tibet supporters from the Baltic States, he drew parallels between the oppressive experiences of Tibet and the Baltic States. During his visit the Dalai Lama also met with 15 parliamentarians from the Baltic states, including 10 from Latvia. (Tibet Post International, Phayul, EIN News) 

(Source: Dinamo Rīga)
Former Latvian Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis

Latvian Person of Interest

Former Latvian Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis was elected as President of the Latvian Hockey Federation (LHF) in early October. Kalvitis is also the chairman of natural gas company Latvijas Gaze, Chairman of the Board of alcoholic beverage company Latvijas Balzams, and co-owner of Latvian KHL team Dinamo Riga. After serving as minister of agriculture (1999-2000) and minister of economics (2000-2002) Kalvitis became the Prime Minister of Latvia from December 2004 to December 5 2007.

As Prime Minister, Kalvitis led a coalition government made up of the People’s Party, New Era Party (now a defunct party), Union of Greens and Farmers, and Latvia’s First Party. Kalvitis stepped down from his position in response to popular disapproval of his dismissal of the head of the anti-corruption bureau. 

(Source: Baltic)
The results of the latest Latvian election

Political Parties in Latvia

Latvia has a multi-party system, in which no individual party is powerful enough to gain power on its own. Each party must cooperate with other parties and form a coalition government, in which parties are forced to build consensus across party lines in order to achieve a majority vote on issues in the Saeima (Latvia’s parliament).

There are eight major parties and nine minor parties. Major parties in Latvia, in order of most MPs in the Saeima to the least MPs, are as follows: Harmony, Unity, Unity of Greens and Farmers, National Alliance, Latvian Association of Regions, For Latvia From the Heart, Who Owns the State?, and the Latvian Russian Union.

Minor parties in Latvia are Christian Democratic Union, the Fatherland Union, For Native Language!, Latvian Development, Latvian Social Democratic Labour Party, Our Land (Party), People of Latgale , Reform Party, and the Socialist Party of Latvia

Food for thought: Given Latvia’s geographic location (neighboring Russia, between Lithuania and Estonia, bordering the Baltic Sea), which issues would you expect to be most difficult for the parties of Latvia’s coalition government to achieve consensus on?