Latvia First Party
Encyclopedia
The Latvia's First Party was a right-wing
, socially conservative
and Christian democratic
political party
in Latvia
. It merged with Latvian Way
to form LPP/LC
in 2007.
It was founded on 25 May 2002, led by Ēriks Jēkabsons and Ainārs Šlesers
. The party included a number of priests from all the major branches of Christianity in Latvia (Lutheran, Catholic
, Orthodox and Baptist) and, also, members of Jaunā Paaudze (New Generation), a controversial charismatic
group. As a result, it was informally nicknamed "the party of priests" or "pastors' party".
Using populist
promises and support from religious organisations, it won 9.5% of the popular vote and 10 out of 100 seats at the legislative elections of October 5, 2002
and has joined all the coalition
governments since that time. At the 2006 elections
it ran together with Latvian Way
; the bloc took 8.58%, but also won 10 seats in parliament. The parties merged the following years.
by its critics. E.g. Jānis Šmits
who was appointed to the position of chairman of the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee has called his parliamentary colleagues to get familiar with religious writings "in case they can actually, read", quoting a passage from The Book of Moses
, that could be loosely translated as: "men having gay sex must die, and their corpses must be left soaking in their own blood". Additionally, Latvijas Pirmā Partija members have several times made public statements saying that they don't feel that there is a necessity for a gay pride
march in Riga
, which allegedly contradicts the Freedom of Speech and Peaceful Assembly
enshrined in the Constitution of Latvia
. The pressure group Mozaīka (Mosaic) have mostly organized Gay Rights Rallies that some religious organizations see as overt frontal attacks on the Latvian way of life. Mozaīka have stated that they have done this to raise awareness for the rights of gays in Latvia via international media. Between annual rallies Mozaīka has done little to slowly generate improved understanding of gays in Latvia and has preferred to follow its strategy of shock tactics. (articles 100 and 103).
Some have alleged that quoting the Bible as a reference point for legislation can be viewed as unconstitutional , since Latvia is a secular state, where religion is separate from the state (article 99 of the Constitution of Latvia). Supporters of the First Party deny that the "separation of church argument" can properly be used to keep people of faith silent when it comes to issues of morality or the passing or failing of laws that have strong moral dimensions. The ideas under the separation of church and state doctrine have to do with (a) the state not being allowed to control the church, or (b) the church not being allowed to control the state. All legislators have the right to vote their conscience.
Economically, First Party supports the existing status quo
in Latvian economics. Compared to other parties, it is less concerned with budget deficits and believes that the government should do everything possible to stimulate economic growth, even at the cost of possibly running deficits. In its first parliamentary election in 2002, First Party also run on an anti-corruption agenda. In the next election, it emphasized its competence and experience (in particular, the achievements of its leader, Šlesers, as the Minister of Transportation).
On ethnic relations, First Party is viewed as more Russian-friendly than most of the Latvian political parties. Most of the party's supporters are ethnically Latvian but it does not attempt to appeal to Latvian nationalism and has a number of ethnic minorities among its voters. Recently, it created a "Russian centre" for its ethnically Russian members.
The leadership of the party includes several prominent businessmen, most notably, its leader Ainars Šlesers. His critics have attacked the First Party, saying that it is little more than a business project to further Slesers' interests in real estate business. His supporters point to many examples of improvement in Latvia's transportation infrastructure, including the airport and the national railroad.
Largely because of the influence of the First Party a new cabinet-level ministry has been developed, The Ministry of Children and Family Affairs. The position of Minister of Children and Family Affairs has been held by Baptist pastor Ainars Bastiks since 2002. This ministry has emphasized reducing the number of children in Latvia's orphan care system. One strategy has been the development and implementation of a new national foster care recruiting and training program, which has grown considerably every year since 2004. Another emphasis of this ministry has to do with the elevation of the importance of the "father" in Latvian society. The national holiday, "Father's Day" has been proposed with the corresponding encouragements for fathers to take their paternal responsibilities seriously. Stiffer penalties for "deadbeat dads" who avoid paying child support have been enacted.
Following the 2005 municipal election, a Jūrmala
businessman Germans Milušs attempted to bribe the members of city council to ensure the election of Juris Hlevickis, a First Party member, as Jūrmala mayor. Hlevickis fell one vote short of becoming the mayor and, in 2007, both Milušs and Hlevickis were convicted and received prison sentences.
During the bribery attempt, Milušs's phone conversations were wiretapped by Latvian police. The wiretaps contain cryptic conversations between Milušs and Ainārs Šlesers, which were leaked to national TV in 2006. This resulted in the resignation of Šlesers as the Minister of Transportation on March 17, 2006. Šlesers was not however charged or convicted of bribery and returned to the position of the Minister of Transportation in November 2006.
Right-wing politics
In politics, Right, right-wing and rightist generally refer to support for a hierarchical society justified on the basis of an appeal to natural law or tradition. To varying degrees, the Right rejects the egalitarian objectives of left-wing politics, claiming that the imposition of equality is...
, socially conservative
Social conservatism
Social Conservatism is primarily a political, and usually morally influenced, ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. Social conservatism is a form of authoritarianism often associated with the position that the federal government should have a greater role...
and Christian democratic
Christian Democracy
Christian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian principles to public policy. It emerged in nineteenth-century Europe under the influence of conservatism and Catholic social teaching...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
. It merged with Latvian Way
Latvian Way
Latvian Way was a centre-right liberal party in Latvia. It merged with Latvia's First Party to form the Latvia's First Party/Latvian Way in 2007.It described itself as "a liberal party defending people's freedom to shape their own lives"...
to form LPP/LC
LPP/LC
Latvia's First Party/Latvian Way is a Latvian political party, created from the merger of the Christian democratic Latvia's First Party , the liberal Latvian Way and the regionalist We for our District and Vidzeme Union in 2007. These parties had already formed an electoral coalition in 2006...
in 2007.
It was founded on 25 May 2002, led by Ēriks Jēkabsons and Ainārs Šlesers
Ainārs Šlesers
Ainārs Šlesers is a Latvian politician. He is a member of the LPP/LC and a deputy of the 9th Saeima .-External links:*...
. The party included a number of priests from all the major branches of Christianity in Latvia (Lutheran, Catholic
Roman Catholicism in Latvia
The Roman Catholic Church of Latvia is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome.There are around 430,235 Catholics — around 17% of the total population.-History:...
, Orthodox and Baptist) and, also, members of Jaunā Paaudze (New Generation), a controversial charismatic
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
group. As a result, it was informally nicknamed "the party of priests" or "pastors' party".
Using populist
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
promises and support from religious organisations, it won 9.5% of the popular vote and 10 out of 100 seats at the legislative elections of October 5, 2002
Latvian parliamentary election, 2002
Elections for 8th Saeima, the parliament of Latvia were held on October 5, 2002. There were lists of candidates from 20 political parties, with a total of 1019 candidates. The voter participation was 71.51%, with 997,754 out of 1,395,287 eligible voters casting votes.Out of the 20 parties...
and has joined all the coalition
Coalition
A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
governments since that time. At the 2006 elections
Latvian parliamentary election, 2006
The most recent elections for the 9th Saeima, the parliament of Latvia, were held on October 7, 2006. There were lists of candidates from 19 political parties...
it ran together with Latvian Way
Latvian Way
Latvian Way was a centre-right liberal party in Latvia. It merged with Latvia's First Party to form the Latvia's First Party/Latvian Way in 2007.It described itself as "a liberal party defending people's freedom to shape their own lives"...
; the bloc took 8.58%, but also won 10 seats in parliament. The parties merged the following years.
Political positions
The party proclaimed itself to be a strong supporter of the traditional family. It sponsored a constitutional amendment that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman, unambiguously excluding homosexual unions. Several prominent members of the party have been labelled as homophobicHomophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
by its critics. E.g. Jānis Šmits
Jānis Šmits
Jānis Šmits is a Latvian politician. He is a member of the Latvia's First Party and a deputy of the 9th Saeima . He was a member of parliament from November 7, 2006 - January 15, 2009- Sources :...
who was appointed to the position of chairman of the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee has called his parliamentary colleagues to get familiar with religious writings "in case they can actually, read", quoting a passage from The Book of Moses
Book of Moses
The Book of Moses is part of the scriptural canon of Mormonism dictated by founder Joseph Smith, Jr. It is an amalgamation of the "Vision of Moses," which Smith dictated in June 1830, the "Book of Enoch," dictated December 1830, and material deriving from Smith's revision of the Book of Genesis in...
, that could be loosely translated as: "men having gay sex must die, and their corpses must be left soaking in their own blood". Additionally, Latvijas Pirmā Partija members have several times made public statements saying that they don't feel that there is a necessity for a gay pride
Gay pride
LGBT pride or gay pride is the concept that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity...
march in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, which allegedly contradicts the Freedom of Speech and Peaceful Assembly
Freedom of speech
Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used...
enshrined in the Constitution of Latvia
Constitution of Latvia
The Constitution of Latvia is the fundamental law of the Republic of Latvia. It was adopted by, as it states itself, the people of Latvia, in a freely elected Constitutional Assembly, on 15 February 1922 and came into force on 7 November 1922. It was influenced by ideas of the Weimar Constitution...
. The pressure group Mozaīka (Mosaic) have mostly organized Gay Rights Rallies that some religious organizations see as overt frontal attacks on the Latvian way of life. Mozaīka have stated that they have done this to raise awareness for the rights of gays in Latvia via international media. Between annual rallies Mozaīka has done little to slowly generate improved understanding of gays in Latvia and has preferred to follow its strategy of shock tactics. (articles 100 and 103).
Some have alleged that quoting the Bible as a reference point for legislation can be viewed as unconstitutional , since Latvia is a secular state, where religion is separate from the state (article 99 of the Constitution of Latvia). Supporters of the First Party deny that the "separation of church argument" can properly be used to keep people of faith silent when it comes to issues of morality or the passing or failing of laws that have strong moral dimensions. The ideas under the separation of church and state doctrine have to do with (a) the state not being allowed to control the church, or (b) the church not being allowed to control the state. All legislators have the right to vote their conscience.
Economically, First Party supports the existing status quo
Status quo
Statu quo, a commonly used form of the original Latin "statu quo" – literally "the state in which" – is a Latin term meaning the current or existing state of affairs. To maintain the status quo is to keep the things the way they presently are...
in Latvian economics. Compared to other parties, it is less concerned with budget deficits and believes that the government should do everything possible to stimulate economic growth, even at the cost of possibly running deficits. In its first parliamentary election in 2002, First Party also run on an anti-corruption agenda. In the next election, it emphasized its competence and experience (in particular, the achievements of its leader, Šlesers, as the Minister of Transportation).
On ethnic relations, First Party is viewed as more Russian-friendly than most of the Latvian political parties. Most of the party's supporters are ethnically Latvian but it does not attempt to appeal to Latvian nationalism and has a number of ethnic minorities among its voters. Recently, it created a "Russian centre" for its ethnically Russian members.
The leadership of the party includes several prominent businessmen, most notably, its leader Ainars Šlesers. His critics have attacked the First Party, saying that it is little more than a business project to further Slesers' interests in real estate business. His supporters point to many examples of improvement in Latvia's transportation infrastructure, including the airport and the national railroad.
Largely because of the influence of the First Party a new cabinet-level ministry has been developed, The Ministry of Children and Family Affairs. The position of Minister of Children and Family Affairs has been held by Baptist pastor Ainars Bastiks since 2002. This ministry has emphasized reducing the number of children in Latvia's orphan care system. One strategy has been the development and implementation of a new national foster care recruiting and training program, which has grown considerably every year since 2004. Another emphasis of this ministry has to do with the elevation of the importance of the "father" in Latvian society. The national holiday, "Father's Day" has been proposed with the corresponding encouragements for fathers to take their paternal responsibilities seriously. Stiffer penalties for "deadbeat dads" who avoid paying child support have been enacted.
Scandals
The first chairman of party, Ēriks Jēkabsons, resigned as Minister of the Interior. Later, due to various disagreements about the direction that the party was taking, he left the party itself and became an independent MP.Following the 2005 municipal election, a Jūrmala
Jurmala
Jūrmala is a city in Latvia, about 25 kilometers west of Riga. Jūrmala is a resort town stretching and sandwiched between the Gulf of Riga and the Lielupe River...
businessman Germans Milušs attempted to bribe the members of city council to ensure the election of Juris Hlevickis, a First Party member, as Jūrmala mayor. Hlevickis fell one vote short of becoming the mayor and, in 2007, both Milušs and Hlevickis were convicted and received prison sentences.
During the bribery attempt, Milušs's phone conversations were wiretapped by Latvian police. The wiretaps contain cryptic conversations between Milušs and Ainārs Šlesers, which were leaked to national TV in 2006. This resulted in the resignation of Šlesers as the Minister of Transportation on March 17, 2006. Šlesers was not however charged or convicted of bribery and returned to the position of the Minister of Transportation in November 2006.
External links
- Official website
- "Slesers forced to resign, coalition’s fate unclear", The Baltic TimesThe Baltic TimesThe Baltic Times is an independent general interest weekly covering the news, business and culture issues of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania....
, March 15, 2006.