After a short period of being a liberal democracy in the 1920´s, Latvia was ruled by totalitarian regimes, beginning with the dictatorship of Ulmanis and the following German occupation of the country to almost fifty years of Soviet rule which ended officially on September 6th, 1991 when the Soviet Union recognized all three Baltic states as independent.
In the aftermath, Latvia found itself in a process of transition which lasts for one decade now.When the people of Latvia were able to participate in the first partly free elections in 1989 they chose almost exclusively candidates of their main opposition movement Popular Front (LTF) to represent Latvia´s interests within Moscow´s Congress of the People´s Deputies. Just one year later, the last elections under Soviet rule took place on the national level in Latvia. The Popular Front finished first and governed Latvia on it´s way towards independence. As soon as the LTF was freed from the big pressure under which it had fought for democracy against the powerful Kremlin it became obvious that the Popular Front consisted of very different political groups ranging from former communist party members to Latvian nationalists.
Some parties were very popular during one election, but in the next one they could not collect enough votes to get into parliament. Some parties collapsed after a short period of time, others split into new movements or merged with other parties. No coalition-government lasted for the whole parliamentary term and in each of the three elections during the nineties more than one half of the participating parties took part for the first time. On the other hand, especially during the last two years some small parties merged into larger ones or at least formed joined factions in parliament and lists in the elections. This development could be considered as a step towards larger and more significant parties which would lead to more stability within Latvia´s political landscape.
In order to find out whether there is a tendency for consolidation among political parties I will concentrate this essay in first place on their process of formation since the beginning of Latvia´s democratization in the late eighties. Furthermore, I will link the parties´ genesis with their roles in parliament and administration to explain their significance for Latvian politics. In my conclusion I will summarize the collected data in order to give an answer to the examined issue.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Historical Review
3. The Origin of Latvia´s Parties
3.1 From Perestroika to Independence
3.2 The period of party-building
4.Latvia´s parties on their way to more stability
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This report examines the political transition of Latvia from the late 1980s to the end of the 1990s, specifically focusing on the formation and consolidation of its multi-party system following the restoration of independence from the Soviet Union.
- The historical context of Latvian parliamentary democracy and subsequent occupations.
- The emergence of early political movements like the Popular Front and LNNK during the late Soviet period.
- The evolution of the party landscape through various parliamentary elections and government coalitions in the 1990s.
- The influence of populism and the eventual trend toward party consolidation and pragmatism.
- The role of key political figures and the impact of the 1922 Constitution's restoration.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 From Perestroika to Independence
A common cause for the changes in the communist countries which took place during the last decade was the politics of Mikhail Gorbachev who promoted perestroika and glasnost in the late Soviet Union. A very little known fact is that shortly before the Latvian opposition movements began to organize themselves, the international Chautauqua conference was held in the seaside-resort Jurmala near Riga. The Chautauqua talks consisted of regular meetings between U.S. and U.S.S.R. delegations to discuss political problems of relevance for both sides, but in September of 1986, just six months after Gorbachev was chosen as General Secretary in Moscow, the unsolved and opressed question of Latvian nationality became a hot topic in the conference.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of Latvia's path to regained independence in 1991 and introduces the shifting political landscape from the 1920s to the rise of modern multi-party politics.
2. Historical Review: This section traces the influence of the first Latvian republic (1920-1934) and the subsequent Soviet and German occupations on the current political identity of Latvia.
3. The Origin of Latvia´s Parties: This chapter details the rise of the first opposition movements during the late 1980s and the subsequent proliferation and diversification of political parties leading up to the 1995 elections.
4.Latvia´s parties on their way to more stability: This section analyzes the late 1990s, characterized by party mergers, electoral alliances, and a shift toward more pragmatic, policy-oriented politics to counter political fragmentation.
5. Conclusion: The final chapter summarizes the transition and assesses the state of Latvian democracy at the end of the 20th century, noting both lingering instabilities and positive steps toward consolidation.
Keywords
Latvia, Political Parties, Transition, Popular Front, Independence, Perestroika, Multi-party system, Saeima, Consolidation, Populism, Soviet Union, Democratization, Coalition Government, Citizenship Law.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this report?
The report examines the development of Latvia's political party system and its consolidation process following the country's transition from Soviet rule to independence in the 1990s.
What are the central thematic fields discussed?
The themes include the historical impact of the interwar republic, the rise of independence movements, the impact of populism in the mid-90s, and the gradual stabilization of political alliances.
What is the primary research goal?
The author aims to determine whether there is a clear tendency for consolidation among political parties and how their formation process reflects the country’s democratization.
What scientific approach does the author use?
The work utilizes a historical-analytical approach, linking the genesis of parties with their roles in parliament and administration to explain their political significance.
What is covered in the main section of the work?
The main sections cover the historical background, the origin of early opposition movements, the formation of political parties during the independence struggle, and the later attempts at stabilization through mergers and coalitions.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
The text is characterized by terms such as Latvia, transition, democratization, multi-party system, and political consolidation.
How did the 1922 Constitution influence the political development?
The re-installation of the 1922 constitution provided the legal and democratic framework upon which the independent Latvian parliament (Saeima) was re-established after the transition period.
What role did populist parties play in the mid-1990s?
Populist parties, such as DPS, TKL, and LVP, gained significant support in the 1995 elections due to voter dissatisfaction but failed to provide long-term stability, eventually losing significance in subsequent election cycles.
- Citation du texte
- Alexander Pilic (Auteur), 2000, Origin and formation of Latvia`s political parties - The period of transition and the beginning of consolidation in Latvia`s political landscape, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/9985
