Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party
Encyclopedia
The Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party is a centre-left
, social democratic
party in Latvia
. It has a long history but is not represented in the current parliament of Latvia
.
elements who had been expelled from the Social Democracy of the Latvian Territory in 1915. Once Latvia became independent, LSDSP was one of the two most influential political parties (along with the Latvian Farmers' Union
). LSDSP held 57 out of 150 seats in 1920 Constitutional Assembly (Satversmes Sapulce). It won most seats in every of 4 parliamentary elections of that period (31 out of 100 in 1922, 33 in 1925, 26 in 1928 and 21 in 1931). The leader of LSDSP, Pauls Kalniņš, was the speaker of Latvian parliament from 1925 to 1934.
The party itself, however, would often be in opposition because of many smaller right-wing parties forming coalition governments, typically led by the Latvian Farmers' Union
.
The party was a member of the Labour and Socialist International
between 1923 and 1940.
LSDSP was banned after the 1934 coup by Kārlis Ulmanis
, together with all other political parties, and remained banned after the Soviet
annexation in 1940. When many Latvians left Latvia during World War II
, LSDSP was restored as an "exile organization" operating in Sweden in 1945 and, later, other Western countries as well.
When Latvia became independent again in 1990, LSDSP returned to Latvia. In early 1990s, it struggled with internal splits. At one point, Latvia had 3 social democratic parties, two of them being descendants of LSDSP and the third being the reformed faction of former Communist Party of Latvia (LSDP
). Eventually, all three parties merged, under the name of LSDSP.
The merged party enjoyed some success in parliamentary elections in 1998, winning 14 seats out of 100 and in local elections in 2001, when one of its members, Gundars Bojārs
became the mayor of Riga
. It was less successful in the next legislative elections
, held on 5 October 2002, where it got only 4% of the vote, and did not make the 5% minimum to get seats. The decline of LSDSP's popularity continued as the party lost the mayor's seat in Riga in 2005 municipal elections (keeping 7 seats in the Riga City Council but forced into the opposition). The parliamentary elections of 2006 brought even more dissatisfactory results for LSDSP as the party got 3.5% of votes and thus got no representation in the parliament once again.
The party is led by Aivars Timofejevs, as of November 2011.
Centre-left
Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...
, social democratic
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
party 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 has a long history but is not represented in the current parliament of Latvia
Saeima
Saeima is the parliament of the Republic of Latvia. It is a unicameral parliament consisting of 100 members who are elected by proportional representation, with seats allocated to political parties which gain at least 5% of the popular vote. Elections are scheduled to be held once every four years,...
.
History
The Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party was founded on 17 June 1918, by the MenshevikMenshevik
The Mensheviks were a faction of the Russian revolutionary movement that emerged in 1904 after a dispute between Vladimir Lenin and Julius Martov, both members of the Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party. The dispute originated at the Second Congress of that party, ostensibly over minor issues...
elements who had been expelled from the Social Democracy of the Latvian Territory in 1915. Once Latvia became independent, LSDSP was one of the two most influential political parties (along with the Latvian Farmers' Union
Latvian Farmers' Union
The Latvian Farmers' Union is a centrist agrarian political party in Latvia. Founded in 1917, it was the most influential right-wing political party between the two World Wars, during the period of Latvian independence from the Russian SFSR in 1918 until its annexation by the Soviet Union in 1940,...
). LSDSP held 57 out of 150 seats in 1920 Constitutional Assembly (Satversmes Sapulce). It won most seats in every of 4 parliamentary elections of that period (31 out of 100 in 1922, 33 in 1925, 26 in 1928 and 21 in 1931). The leader of LSDSP, Pauls Kalniņš, was the speaker of Latvian parliament from 1925 to 1934.
The party itself, however, would often be in opposition because of many smaller right-wing parties forming coalition governments, typically led by the Latvian Farmers' Union
Latvian Farmers' Union
The Latvian Farmers' Union is a centrist agrarian political party in Latvia. Founded in 1917, it was the most influential right-wing political party between the two World Wars, during the period of Latvian independence from the Russian SFSR in 1918 until its annexation by the Soviet Union in 1940,...
.
The party was a member of the Labour and Socialist International
Labour and Socialist International
The Labour and Socialist International was an international organization of socialist and labour parties, active between 1923 and 1940. The LSI was a forerunner of the present-day Socialist International....
between 1923 and 1940.
LSDSP was banned after the 1934 coup by Kārlis Ulmanis
Karlis Ulmanis
Kārlis Augusts Vilhelms Ulmanis was a prominent Latvian politician in pre-World War II Latvia during the Latvian period of independence from 1918 to 1940.- Education and early career :Ulmanis studied agriculture at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and...
, together with all other political parties, and remained banned after the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
annexation in 1940. When many Latvians left Latvia during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, LSDSP was restored as an "exile organization" operating in Sweden in 1945 and, later, other Western countries as well.
When Latvia became independent again in 1990, LSDSP returned to Latvia. In early 1990s, it struggled with internal splits. At one point, Latvia had 3 social democratic parties, two of them being descendants of LSDSP and the third being the reformed faction of former Communist Party of Latvia (LSDP
Latvian Social Democratic Party
The Latvian Social Democratic Party was a political party in Latvia formed by a reformist wing of the Communist Party of Latvia.On 14 April 1990, a pro-independence faction under Ivars Ķezbers split off from the LKP to form the Independent Communist Party of Latvia . The main body of the LKP,...
). Eventually, all three parties merged, under the name of LSDSP.
The merged party enjoyed some success in parliamentary elections in 1998, winning 14 seats out of 100 and in local elections in 2001, when one of its members, Gundars Bojārs
Gundars Bojars
Gundars Bojārs is a Latvian politician. He was the mayor of Riga from 2001 to 2005.- References :...
became the mayor of 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,...
. It was less successful in the next legislative elections
Elections in Latvia
Elections in Latvia gives information on election and election results in Latvia.Latvia elects on national level a legislature. The Saeima has 100 members, elected for a four year term by proportional representation with a 5% threshold. An unmodified Sainte-Laguë method is used to allocate seats....
, held on 5 October 2002, where it got only 4% of the vote, and did not make the 5% minimum to get seats. The decline of LSDSP's popularity continued as the party lost the mayor's seat in Riga in 2005 municipal elections (keeping 7 seats in the Riga City Council but forced into the opposition). The parliamentary elections of 2006 brought even more dissatisfactory results for LSDSP as the party got 3.5% of votes and thus got no representation in the parliament once again.
The party is led by Aivars Timofejevs, as of November 2011.