Equal Rights (Latvia)
Encyclopedia
Equal Rights was a political party
in Latvia
, mainly supported by the Russian minority.
ER was founded on the basis of the "Equal Rights" faction of the Supreme Soviet
as an NGO in 1993. The Equal Rights faction had been founded in April, 1990, after the Latvian parliamentary election, 1990
.
The NGO transformed into a party in 1996. Its leaders were MPs Tatjana Ždanoka
and Sergejs Dīmanis. The organization participated in the 1994 municipal election and the 1995 legislative election within the Socialist Party of Latvia
list.
In 1998, ER joined with two other predominantly Russian parties, the Latvian Socialist Party and the National Harmony Party
to found the alliance For Human Rights in United Latvia
. The alliance split in 2003, with the National Harmony Party and the Socialist Party abandoning the coalition, leaving the newly founded rump Free Choice in People's Europe (made up of dissident Socialist Party and Harmony Party members, like Jakovs Pliners
, who opposed the decision to quit the alliance) in the ForHRUL coalition.
From 2001 ER's leader was Tatjana Ždanoka and its chairman was Vladimirs Buzajevs
.
In 2007, the 11th Congress of the party decided to merge it with Free Choice in People's Europe, transforming their block ForHRUL into a unified party. The party failed to win any seats in the 2010 legislative election.
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...
, mainly supported by the Russian minority.
ER was founded on the basis of the "Equal Rights" faction of the Supreme Soviet
Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia
Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia was the transitional parliament of Latvia from 1990 to 1993, after the restoration of independence. The Supreme Council was elected on 1990 as the Supreme Soviet of the Latvian SSR. On 1990 it declared the restoration of independence of Latvia and began a...
as an NGO in 1993. The Equal Rights faction had been founded in April, 1990, after the Latvian parliamentary election, 1990
Latvian parliamentary election, 1990
Legislative elections were held in the Latvian SSR on 18 March 1990. It was the first free parliamentary election in Latvia since 1930s. A total of 201 deputies were elected to the Supreme Soviet of the Latvian SSR, 170 of them in the first round. Run-off elections were held on 25 March, 1 April...
.
The NGO transformed into a party in 1996. Its leaders were MPs Tatjana Ždanoka
Tatjana Ždanoka
Tatyana Arkad'evna Zhdanok, , born May 8, 1950 in Riga, is a Latvian politician and Member of the European Parliament and a co-Chairperson of For Human Rights in United Latvia; part of the European Greens–European Free Alliance group. Zhdanok is co-chairperson of ForHRUL since 2001...
and Sergejs Dīmanis. The organization participated in the 1994 municipal election and the 1995 legislative election within the Socialist Party of Latvia
Socialist Party of Latvia
The Socialist Party of Latvia was formed in 1994 as a successor party to the Communist Party of Latvia, which was banned in 1991. In essence, the party is communist; according to the programme of the party, the LSP was founded as an organization upholding socialist ideas after the 1991 events that...
list.
In 1998, ER joined with two other predominantly Russian parties, the Latvian Socialist Party and the National Harmony Party
National Harmony Party
The National Harmony Party was a political party in Latvia.The party identified itself as a social-democratic party. It supported further liberalisation of the citizenship law by granting citizenship to each non-citizen who had lived in Latvia for at least 10 years...
to found the alliance For Human Rights in United Latvia
For Human Rights in United Latvia
For Human Rights in United Latvia is a left-wing political party in Latvia, supported mainly by ethnic Russians and other non-Latvian minorities. Co-chairpersons of its Ruling Board are Tatjana Ždanoka, Jakovs Pliners and Miroslav Mitrofanov....
. The alliance split in 2003, with the National Harmony Party and the Socialist Party abandoning the coalition, leaving the newly founded rump Free Choice in People's Europe (made up of dissident Socialist Party and Harmony Party members, like Jakovs Pliners
Jakovs Pliners
Jakovs Pliners or Yakov Pliner, Russian — Я́ков Гда́льевич Пли́нер is a Latvian politician of Jewish origin and MP of the 7th, 8th and 9th convocations for the union For Human Rights in United Latvia...
, who opposed the decision to quit the alliance) in the ForHRUL coalition.
From 2001 ER's leader was Tatjana Ždanoka and its chairman was Vladimirs Buzajevs
Vladimirs Buzajevs
Vladimirs Buzajevs or Vladimir Buzayev, , born October 8, 1951 in Zhukovka, Bryansk Region, Russia, is a Latvian politician and Member of the 8th and 9th Saeima for For Human Rights in United Latvia...
.
In 2007, the 11th Congress of the party decided to merge it with Free Choice in People's Europe, transforming their block ForHRUL into a unified party. The party failed to win any seats in the 2010 legislative election.