RIGA — Leading Latvian politicians Andris Šķēle and Ainars Šlesers could forge a unified party list for the national election in October, according to a report in local media Friday, as the two politicians grapple with their respective parties’ lackluster ratings.

Party members told the[private_supervisor] daily Telegraf that while the two parties — Šķēle’s People’s Party and the Šlesers-led Latvia’s First/Latvia’s Way union — are not conducting formal talks about a merger, they don’t rule out the idea given the current consolidation of political forces taking place in the country.

Latvia’s First/Latvia’s “is discussing all possible options how to participate in the elections,” parliamentary faction leader Andris Bērziņš told the paper. “In general the ideological platform of the People’s Party is close,” he said.

Māris Kučinskis, the People’s Party faction head in Saeima, said it was too early to talk about a combined candidate list, but he couldn’t rule it out either. He said clarity would emerge by the party’s congress in May. Šķēle and Šlesers have been at loggerheads in the past, but they have also cooperated when necessary, such as supporting the ouster of anti-corruption chief Aleksejs Loskutovs in 2008, who was pushed out of office after nailing many top politicians and businesspeople for corruption — including Šlesers.

Other than a pro-business stance, the two men’s parties are quite different. Šlesers’ Latvia’s First Party was formed by Christian ministers who saw themselves as moral beacons in an increasingly decadent society. Since then the party has softened its religious approach, and Šlesers has said he wanted to model his party after Edgar Savisaar’s Center Party in Estonia, which has attained unrivaled success by reaching out to the Russian electorate.

The People’s Party, by contrast, is purely a “Latvian party,” often accused of using its political power as a way to defend its clubbish interests. The party fares poorly among the ethnic Russian voters.

Regardless of differences, politics will always make for strange bedfellows and with each party’s rating below the 5 percent barrier Šķēle and Šlesers are quickly realizing that barring a miracle, public perception will not change over the next seven months.

The People’s Party had hoped that Šķēle’s triumphant return to politics would boost its rating, but nothing of the sort has occurred. Likewise, Šlesers, who is Riga’s deputy mayor, has not endeared himself to voters after promising hundreds of new jobs in the capital and not delivering. Thus if the two men often described as oligarchs hope to squeeze into the 10th Saeima, they might have to merge.

Meanwhile, the newly-formed Unity (Vienotība) is gathering momentum and the recent inclusion of former Diena editor-in-chief Sarmite Ēlerte has given it impetus.[/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]daily Telegraf that while the two parties — Šķēle’s People’s Party and the Šlesers-led Latvia’s First/Latvia’s Way union — are not conducting formal talks about a merger, they don’t rule out the idea given the current consolidation of political forces taking place in the country.

Latvia’s First/Latvia’s “is discussing all possible options how to participate in the elections,” parliamentary faction leader Andris Bērziņš told the paper. “In general the ideological platform of the People’s Party is close,” he said.

Māris Kučinskis, the People’s Party faction head in Saeima, said it was too early to talk about a combined candidate list, but he couldn’t rule it out either. He said clarity would emerge by the party’s congress in May. Šķēle and Šlesers have been at loggerheads in the past, but they have also cooperated when necessary, such as supporting the ouster of anti-corruption chief Aleksejs Loskutovs in 2008, who was pushed out of office after nailing many top politicians and businesspeople for corruption — including Šlesers.

Other than a pro-business stance, the two men’s parties are quite different. Šlesers’ Latvia’s First Party was formed by Christian ministers who saw themselves as moral beacons in an increasingly decadent society. Since then the party has softened its religious approach, and Šlesers has said he wanted to model his party after Edgar Savisaar’s Center Party in Estonia, which has attained unrivaled success by reaching out to the Russian electorate.

The People’s Party, by contrast, is purely a “Latvian party,” often accused of using its political power as a way to defend its clubbish interests. The party fares poorly among the ethnic Russian voters.

Regardless of differences, politics will always make for strange bedfellows and with each party’s rating below the 5 percent barrier Šķēle and Šlesers are quickly realizing that barring a miracle, public perception will not change over the next seven months.

The People’s Party had hoped that Šķēle’s triumphant return to politics would boost its rating, but nothing of the sort has occurred. Likewise, Šlesers, who is Riga’s deputy mayor, has not endeared himself to voters after promising hundreds of new jobs in the capital and not delivering. Thus if the two men often described as oligarchs hope to squeeze into the 10th Saeima, they might have to merge.

Meanwhile, the newly-formed Unity (Vienotība) is gathering momentum and the recent inclusion of former Diena editor-in-chief Sarmite Ēlerte has given it impetus.[/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]daily Telegraf that while the two parties — Šķēle’s People’s Party and the Šlesers-led Latvia’s First/Latvia’s Way union — are not conducting formal talks about a merger, they don’t rule out the idea given the current consolidation of political forces taking place in the country.

Latvia’s First/Latvia’s “is discussing all possible options how to participate in the elections,” parliamentary faction leader Andris Bērziņš told the paper. “In general the ideological platform of the People’s Party is close,” he said.

Māris Kučinskis, the People’s Party faction head in Saeima, said it was too early to talk about a combined candidate list, but he couldn’t rule it out either. He said clarity would emerge by the party’s congress in May. Šķēle and Šlesers have been at loggerheads in the past, but they have also cooperated when necessary, such as supporting the ouster of anti-corruption chief Aleksejs Loskutovs in 2008, who was pushed out of office after nailing many top politicians and businesspeople for corruption — including Šlesers.

Other than a pro-business stance, the two men’s parties are quite different. Šlesers’ Latvia’s First Party was formed by Christian ministers who saw themselves as moral beacons in an increasingly decadent society. Since then the party has softened its religious approach, and Šlesers has said he wanted to model his party after Edgar Savisaar’s Center Party in Estonia, which has attained unrivaled success by reaching out to the Russian electorate.

The People’s Party, by contrast, is purely a “Latvian party,” often accused of using its political power as a way to defend its clubbish interests. The party fares poorly among the ethnic Russian voters.

Regardless of differences, politics will always make for strange bedfellows and with each party’s rating below the 5 percent barrier Šķēle and Šlesers are quickly realizing that barring a miracle, public perception will not change over the next seven months.

The People’s Party had hoped that Šķēle’s triumphant return to politics would boost its rating, but nothing of the sort has occurred. Likewise, Šlesers, who is Riga’s deputy mayor, has not endeared himself to voters after promising hundreds of new jobs in the capital and not delivering. Thus if the two men often described as oligarchs hope to squeeze into the 10th Saeima, they might have to merge.

Meanwhile, the newly-formed Unity (Vienotība) is gathering momentum and the recent inclusion of former Diena editor-in-chief Sarmite Ēlerte has given it impetus.[/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]daily Telegraf that while the two parties — Šķēle’s People’s Party and the Šlesers-led Latvia’s First/Latvia’s Way union — are not conducting formal talks about a merger, they don’t rule out the idea given the current consolidation of political forces taking place in the country.

Latvia’s First/Latvia’s “is discussing all possible options how to participate in the elections,” parliamentary faction leader Andris Bērziņš told the paper. “In general the ideological platform of the People’s Party is close,” he said.

Māris Kučinskis, the People’s Party faction head in Saeima, said it was too early to talk about a combined candidate list, but he couldn’t rule it out either. He said clarity would emerge by the party’s congress in May. Šķēle and Šlesers have been at loggerheads in the past, but they have also cooperated when necessary, such as supporting the ouster of anti-corruption chief Aleksejs Loskutovs in 2008, who was pushed out of office after nailing many top politicians and businesspeople for corruption — including Šlesers.

Other than a pro-business stance, the two men’s parties are quite different. Šlesers’ Latvia’s First Party was formed by Christian ministers who saw themselves as moral beacons in an increasingly decadent society. Since then the party has softened its religious approach, and Šlesers has said he wanted to model his party after Edgar Savisaar’s Center Party in Estonia, which has attained unrivaled success by reaching out to the Russian electorate.

The People’s Party, by contrast, is purely a “Latvian party,” often accused of using its political power as a way to defend its clubbish interests. The party fares poorly among the ethnic Russian voters.

Regardless of differences, politics will always make for strange bedfellows and with each party’s rating below the 5 percent barrier Šķēle and Šlesers are quickly realizing that barring a miracle, public perception will not change over the next seven months.

The People’s Party had hoped that Šķēle’s triumphant return to politics would boost its rating, but nothing of the sort has occurred. Likewise, Šlesers, who is Riga’s deputy mayor, has not endeared himself to voters after promising hundreds of new jobs in the capital and not delivering. Thus if the two men often described as oligarchs hope to squeeze into the 10th Saeima, they might have to merge.

Meanwhile, the newly-formed Unity (Vienotība) is gathering momentum and the recent inclusion of former Diena editor-in-chief Sarmite Ēlerte has given it impetus.[/private_subscription 1 year]

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