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Union of Greens and Farmers

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The Union of Greens and Farmers (Latvian: Zaļo un Zemnieku savienība, ZZS) is an agrarian political alliance in Latvia.[9] It is made up of the Latvian Farmers' Union, Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party, and For Latvia and Ventspils.

Union of Greens and Farmers
Zaļo un Zemnieku savienība
AbbreviationZZS
LeaderAivars Lembergs
ChairmanViktors Valainis
Founded25 July 2002; 22 years ago (2002-07-25)
HeadquartersLielirbes iela 17a-30, Riga
Membership (2017)2,254[1][2]
IdeologyGreen conservatism[3]
Economic nationalism[4]
Soft Euroscepticism[5]
Agrarianism[6]
Political positionCentre[7][8]
Members
Colours
  •   Green
  •   Yellow
Saeima
16 / 100
European Parliament
0 / 8
Mayors
11 / 43
Website
zzs.lv

It is positioned in the centre[7][8] on the political spectrum, sometimes also described as a centre-right[10][11] or a centre-left party.[6][12] It is orientated towards agrarian,[6] conservative,[13] Eurosceptic,[5] and green policies,[14] and can be considered a centrist Nordic agrarian alliance,[11] with nationalist and anti-liberal elements.[15][16][17]

While the alliance's formal leader is Edgars Tavars, its leading figure and chief financial supporter is the oligarch Aivars Lembergs.[18] The ZZS has had the world's first prime minister, Indulis Emsis (Prime Minister of Latvia in 2004), and first head of state, Raimonds Vējonis (President of Latvia 2015–19), to be affiliated with a green party.[19]

History

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The alliance was established to contest the 2002 parliamentary election by the Latvian Green Party (LZP) and Latvian Farmers' Union (LZS).[19] It ran on an ideologically amorphous agenda and won 12 out of 100 seats in the parliament. In March 2004, Indulis Emsis from the LZP became the Prime Minister of Latvia until December of that year.[19]

On a European level, the LZP cooperated with the European Green Party while the LZS has no formal affiliation. Before the 2004 European Parliament election, ZZS announced that if its representative was elected, he or she would join one of two political groups depending on which party they belonged to.

The alliance continued for the 2006 parliamentary election, and won 18 seats. It became part of the governing coalition, and LZP chairman Indulis Emsis, who served as Prime Minister briefly in 2004, became Speaker of the Saeima.

Aivars Lembergs was the candidate of the Union of Greens and Farmers for the position of Prime Minister in 2006, before being charged with corruption, fraud, bribery, money laundering and abuse of elected office on 20 July 2006. On 14 March 2007, Lembergs was detained by the Latvian authorities in relation to a criminal investigation.

At the 2014 European Parliament election, the ZZS won 8.3% of the vote and for the first time one of Latvia's European Parliament seats. Its MEP is Iveta Grigule who initially sat with the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFFD) group. On 16 October 2014 Grigule defected from the EFDD to sit as an independent. This move required EFDD to co-opt a member of Poland's Congress of the New Right to remain eligible for parliamentary group status.[20] In April 2015 she joined the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) group.[21]

In the 2015 presidential election, the alliance's then-leader Raimonds Vējonis became President of Latvia and subsequently resigned his leadership of the alliance. In January 2016, after the resignation of Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma, Liepāja Party member Māris Kučinskis became the head of government. After the 2018 Latvian parliamentary election, ZZS lost ten seats and ultimately in 2019 became a part of the opposition to the Kariņš cabinet. It stayed in opposition until 2023, when it became part of Evika Siliņa cabinet.

Split, change of members

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In early 2022, the alliance started to break apart, with the Green Party announcing that it sees no way of further cooperation with For Latvia and Ventspils, still led by oligarch Aivars Lembergs, and ultimately on 11 June 2022 it voted to leave the alliance, later joined by the Liepāja Party. In July, the Greens and the Liepāja Party joined the Latvian Association of Regions and a political NGO led by construction contractor Uldis Pīlēns in forming the United List alliance.[22]

The departing parties were replaced with the Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party (LSDSP), a rival of the 1920s and 1930s, who joined ZZS on June 1 and allowed it to retain its name.[23] The alliance once again announced Lembergs as their prime ministerial candidate.[24] The list won 16 seats, with two going to LSDSP, who returned to the Saeima for the first time since 2002.

Ideology

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The Union of Greens and Farmers is based on similar sentimental feelings shared by the voters of the two groups. Latvians are supportive of traditional small farms and perceive them as more environmentally friendly than large-scale farming: Nature is threatened by development, while small farms are threatened by large industrial-scale farms. For example, after the restoration of independence, Latvia broke down Soviet-era collective farms and returned land to its original owners (or their descendants).[25] This perception has resulted in an alliance between green and farmer's parties, which is rare in other countries.

The alliance is Eurosceptic,[5] although not opposed to Latvian membership of the European Union. The ZZS opposed the adoption of the euro by Latvia. The party opposes granting non-citizens Latvian citizenship or voting rights in local elections.[26]

On social issues, the party has taken a traditionally conservative approach, opposing same-sex marriage and instead favouring civil unions for same-sex couples.[27] It supports abortion rights for up to 12 weeks of pregnancy and has voted to ratify the Istanbul Convention for preventing violence against women, despite having initially expressed skepticism over the convention’s use of the term “gender” and potential redefinition of marriage outside of that of a union of a man and a woman.[28] However, the party is also environmentalist and follows green politics, stressing the need for sustainable and ecological economic policy, reducing environmental waste and for a transitation away from fossil fuel energy sources, in favor of renewable energy.[29]

Economically, the party is populist, adhering to the principles of economic nationalism. It is also opposed to economic liberalism in favor of more redistributive policies.[4] It opposes spending cuts, especially to welfare, pensions and healthcare - instead, the party proposes to extend the Latvian safety net, and promotes popular welfare measures.[30]

Members

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Name Ideology Position Leader Saeima MEPs
Latvian Farmers' Union
Latvijas Zemnieku savienība 		Agrarianism
Conservatism 		Centre Armands Krauze
11 / 100
0 / 8
For Latvia and Ventspils[nb 1]
Latvijai un Ventspilij 		Regionalism Centre Aivars Lembergs
2 / 100
0 / 8
Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party
Latvijas Sociāldemokrātiskā Strādnieku Partija 		Social democracy Centre-left Jānis Dinevičs
2 / 100
0 / 8
Independents
1 / 100
0 / 8

Former Members

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Name Ideology Position Leader Time
Latvian Green Party
Latvijas Zaļā partija 		Green politics
Social conservatism 		Centre to centre-right Edgars Tavars 2002–2022
Liepāja Party[nb 2]
Liepājas Partija 		Localism Centre-right Uldis Sesks 2004–2022

Election results

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Legislative elections

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Election Leader Performance Rank Government
Votes % ± pp Seats +/–
2002 Ingrīda Ūdre 93,759 9.47 New
12 / 100
 New 5th Coalition
2006 Aivars Lembergs 151,595 16.81   7.34
18 / 100
   6   2nd Coalition
2010 190,025 20.11   3.30
22 / 100
   4   3rd Coalition
2011 Raimonds Vējonis 111,957 12.33   7.78
13 / 100
   9   5th Opposition
2014 178,210 19.66   7.33
21 / 100
   8   3rd Coalition
2018 Māris Kučinskis 83,675 9.97   9.69
11 / 100
   10   6th Opposition
2022 Aivars Lembergs 113,676 12.58   2.61
16 / 100
   5   2nd Opposition (2022-2023)
Coalition (2023-)

European Parliament elections

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Election List leader Votes % Seats +/– EP Group
2004 Baiba Rivža 24,467 4.28 (#8)
0 / 8
 New –
2009 29,463 3.79 (#10)
0 / 8
   0
2014 Andris Bērziņš 36,637 8.32 (#4)
1 / 8
   1 EFDD (2014)
NI (2014-2015)
ALDE (2015-2019)
2019 Dana Reizniece-Ozola 25,252 5.37 (#6)
0 / 8
   1 –
2024 Harijs Rokpelnis 11,852 2.30 (#9)
0 / 8
   0

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Cooperation agreement with the alliance, not formal member
  2. ^ Cooperation agreement with the alliance, not formal member

References

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  1. ^ "What's up with Latvia's feeble civic engagement?". LSM.lv. 3 January 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  2. ^ "Latvijā partijās daudzkārt mazāk biedru nekā Lietuvā un Igaunijā. Kāpēc tā?" (in Latvian). LSM.lv. 2 January 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  3. ^ Holmberg, Karl. "The green formula: Key underlying factors for success of a green party". Lund University. p. 4.
  4. ^ a b Kossack, Oliver (2023). Pariahs or Partners? Patterns of Government Formation with Radical Right Parties in Central and Eastern Europe, 1990-2020. Bielefeld: Majuskel Medienproduktion GmbH. p. 172. doi:10.14361/9783839467152. ISBN 978-3-8394-6715-2. ISSN 2702-9050.
  5. ^ a b c Stalker, Peter (2007). A Guide to Countries of the World. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 177. ISBN 978-0-19-920271-3.
  6. ^ a b c Hyndle-Hussein, Joanna (10 October 2018). "Parliamentary elections in Latvia: the fragmentation of the political scene". Centre for Eastern Studies.
  7. ^ a b "Māris Kučinskis nominated as Latvian prime minister". POLITICO. 2016-01-13. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  8. ^ a b "Ethnic Russians have big influence in Latvian election". Associated Press. 6 October 2018.
  9. ^ Nordsieck, Wolfram (2018). "Latvia". Parties and Elections in Europe. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  10. ^ Tom Muller, ed. (2012). Political Handbook of the World 2012. SAGE. p. 814. ISBN 978-1-60871-995-2.
  11. ^ a b Tāre, Ineta (2010). Labour Law in Latvia. London: Kluwer Law International. p. 15. ISBN 978-90-411-3325-0.
  12. ^ Kroet, Cynthia (18 December 2014). "Laimdota Straujuma: Latvia's prime minister". Politico.
  13. ^ Stephanie Daimer (2006). "Latvia and the EU constitution: a pragmatic "yes"". In Thomas König; Simon Hug (eds.). Policy-Making Processes and the European Constitution: A Comparative Study of Member States and Accession Countries. Routledge. p. 144. ISBN 978-1-134-17336-5.
  14. ^ "Latvia poised to gain its first female prime minister". POLITICO. 2014-01-08. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  15. ^ David J. Galbreath; Daunis Auers (2010). "Green, Black and Brown: Uncovering Latvia's Environmental Politics". In David J. Galbreath (ed.). Contemporary Environmentalism in the Baltic States: From Phosphate Springs to 'Nordstream'. Routledge. p. 63. ISBN 978-1-317-96590-9.
  16. ^ Jeffrey Sommers (2014). "Austerity, internal devolution, and social (in)security in Latvia". In Jeffrey Sommers; Charles Woolfson (eds.). The Contradictions of Austerity: The Socio-Economic Costs of the Neoliberal Baltic Model. Taylor & Francis. p. 52. ISBN 978-1-317-80014-9.
  17. ^ Auers, Daunis (May 2012). "The curious case of the Latvian Greens". Environmental Politics. 21 (3): 522–527. doi:10.1080/09644016.2012.671579. ISSN 0964-4016. S2CID 144438163.
  18. ^ Goehring, Jeannette (2007). Nations in Transit 2007: Democratization from Central Europe to Eurasia. London: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 404. ISBN 978-0-932088-26-0.
  19. ^ a b c Miranda Schreurs; Elim Papadakis, eds. (2019). Historical Dictionary of the Green Movement. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 205. ISBN 978-1-5381-1960-0.
  20. ^ "Farage's EFDD group collapses". 16 October 2014.
  21. ^ "Liberals and Democrats adopt Latvia's stray MEP". eng.lsm.lv.
  22. ^ "Latvian Green Party leaves Union of Greens and Parties". Baltic News Network - News from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia. 2022-06-13. Retrieved 2022-06-29.
  23. ^ "Saeimas vēlēšanās Zemnieku savienības un LSDSP kopīgais premjera amata kandidāts būs Viktors Valainis". www.lsm.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2022-08-14.
  24. ^ "Union of Greens and Farmers picks Aivars Lembergs as PM candidate". Baltic News Network - News from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia. 2022-07-18. Retrieved 2022-08-14.
  25. ^ Hiltzik, Michael (16 September 1991). "Reclaiming the Past in the Baltics : Property owners are getting back what the Soviets took away decades ago. That makes tenants and farmers nervous and fearful". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  26. ^ Extra, Guus; Spotti, Massimiliano Andrea; van Avermaet, Piet (2007). A Guide to Countries of the World. London: Continuum International Publishing Group. pp. 47–48. ISBN 978-1-84706-345-8.
  27. ^ "Saeima pieņem neprecēto pāru partnerības regulējumu; opozīcija mēģinās sarīkot referendumu". Los Angeles Times. 9 November 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  28. ^ "ZZS: Sadarbība". ZZS. 3 December 2023.
  29. ^ Ikstens, Janis (2019). "Latvia: EUropean expertise matters". In Lorenzo De Sio; Mark N. Franklin; Luana Russo (eds.). The European Parliament Elections of 2019 (PDF). Luiss University Press. p. 182. ISBN 978-88-6105-424-0.
  30. ^ Eihmanis, Edgars (2019). Swen Hutter; Hanspeter Kriesi (eds.). "Latvia – An Ever-Wider Gap: The Ethnic Divide in Latvian Party Politics". European Party Politics in Times of Crisis. 11. Cambridge University Press: 236–258. doi:10.1017/9781108652780.011.
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