RIGA — Latvia’s two largest opposition parties, the People’s Party and Latvia’s First/Latvia’s Way union have agreed to join forces for the fall parliamentary election.

The platform is set to be conservative and pro-business, and members of the newly-formed For a Good Latvia movement are also joining the union. The move comes as little surprise, as both parties have been hinting at a union for months.

The arrival of a [private_supervisor]new political party, one ostensibly with considerable resources, less than six months before national elections is set to shake up the political atmosphere. Currently only one new political force has emerged — the Unity party, and that is a merger of three existing parties. People’s Party leader and former Prime Minister Andris Šķēle contrasted his new party with Unity in a radio interview Thursday, calling the other nascent party dishonest.

“Being honest is a very important thing. Fundamentally important. Those who called themselves the most honest of the honest, this often proves to be the biggest lie,” Šķēle said.

Latvia’s business community is naturally disgruntled, even incensed, by the country’s political leadership and its handling of the economic crisis, and has felt marginalized from the decision-making processes. The rash of tax increases over the past year is, no doubt, one of the factors that tipped the scales and convinced businesspeople to join forces in an attempt to exert more political influence.

Although the People’s Party is the largest in the Saeima, its poll numbers have been in the doldrums for months and the join-up with Latvia’s First/Latvia’s Way is hoped by party leaders to bolster support.

The name of the new union nor its list of candidates has been decided yet, but a new logo (AŠ)² was unveiled. It stands for the names of Šķēle and Riga Deputy Mayor Ainars Šlesers, his Latvia’s First/Latvia’s Way counterpart.

The party’s platform will become ironed out during a series of regional meetings, to be held over the next few weeks.

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.

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.

— Baltic Reports reporter James Dahl contributed to this article. [/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]new political party, one ostensibly with considerable resources, less than six months before national elections is set to shake up the political atmosphere. Currently only one new political force has emerged — the Unity party, and that is a merger of three existing parties. People’s Party leader and former Prime Minister Andris Šķēle contrasted his new party with Unity in a radio interview Thursday, calling the other nascent party dishonest.

“Being honest is a very important thing. Fundamentally important. Those who called themselves the most honest of the honest, this often proves to be the biggest lie,” Šķēle said.

Latvia’s business community is naturally disgruntled, even incensed, by the country’s political leadership and its handling of the economic crisis, and has felt marginalized from the decision-making processes. The rash of tax increases over the past year is, no doubt, one of the factors that tipped the scales and convinced businesspeople to join forces in an attempt to exert more political influence.

Although the People’s Party is the largest in the Saeima, its poll numbers have been in the doldrums for months and the join-up with Latvia’s First/Latvia’s Way is hoped by party leaders to bolster support.

The name of the new union nor its list of candidates has been decided yet, but a new logo (AŠ)² was unveiled. It stands for the names of Šķēle and Riga Deputy Mayor Ainars Šlesers, his Latvia’s First/Latvia’s Way counterpart.

The party’s platform will become ironed out during a series of regional meetings, to be held over the next few weeks.

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.

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.

— Baltic Reports reporter James Dahl contributed to this article. [/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]new political party, one ostensibly with considerable resources, less than six months before national elections is set to shake up the political atmosphere. Currently only one new political force has emerged — the Unity party, and that is a merger of three existing parties. People’s Party leader and former Prime Minister Andris Šķēle contrasted his new party with Unity in a radio interview Thursday, calling the other nascent party dishonest.

“Being honest is a very important thing. Fundamentally important. Those who called themselves the most honest of the honest, this often proves to be the biggest lie,” Šķēle said.

Latvia’s business community is naturally disgruntled, even incensed, by the country’s political leadership and its handling of the economic crisis, and has felt marginalized from the decision-making processes. The rash of tax increases over the past year is, no doubt, one of the factors that tipped the scales and convinced businesspeople to join forces in an attempt to exert more political influence.

Although the People’s Party is the largest in the Saeima, its poll numbers have been in the doldrums for months and the join-up with Latvia’s First/Latvia’s Way is hoped by party leaders to bolster support.

The name of the new union nor its list of candidates has been decided yet, but a new logo (AŠ)² was unveiled. It stands for the names of Šķēle and Riga Deputy Mayor Ainars Šlesers, his Latvia’s First/Latvia’s Way counterpart.

The party’s platform will become ironed out during a series of regional meetings, to be held over the next few weeks.

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.

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.

— Baltic Reports reporter James Dahl contributed to this article. [/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]new political party, one ostensibly with considerable resources, less than six months before national elections is set to shake up the political atmosphere. Currently only one new political force has emerged — the Unity party, and that is a merger of three existing parties. People’s Party leader and former Prime Minister Andris Šķēle contrasted his new party with Unity in a radio interview Thursday, calling the other nascent party dishonest.

“Being honest is a very important thing. Fundamentally important. Those who called themselves the most honest of the honest, this often proves to be the biggest lie,” Šķēle said.

Latvia’s business community is naturally disgruntled, even incensed, by the country’s political leadership and its handling of the economic crisis, and has felt marginalized from the decision-making processes. The rash of tax increases over the past year is, no doubt, one of the factors that tipped the scales and convinced businesspeople to join forces in an attempt to exert more political influence.

Although the People’s Party is the largest in the Saeima, its poll numbers have been in the doldrums for months and the join-up with Latvia’s First/Latvia’s Way is hoped by party leaders to bolster support.

The name of the new union nor its list of candidates has been decided yet, but a new logo (AŠ)² was unveiled. It stands for the names of Šķēle and Riga Deputy Mayor Ainars Šlesers, his Latvia’s First/Latvia’s Way counterpart.

The party’s platform will become ironed out during a series of regional meetings, to be held over the next few weeks.

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.

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.

— Baltic Reports reporter James Dahl contributed to this article. [/private_subscription 1 year]

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