Latvian Green Party
Encyclopedia
The Latvian Green Party is a green
political party
in Latvia
. It was founded January 13, 1990.
, chairpersons are Viesturs Silenieks and Raimonds Vējonis.
In the first elected parliament of independent Latvia (the fifth Saeima
, 1993-1995), there was one Green deputy (Anna Seile). In the 6th Saeima (1995-1998), the Latvian Green party was represented by four members: Indulis Emsis
, Guntis Enins, Janis Kalvins and Janis Razna.
From 1993 to 1998, Greens were part of the governing coalition with Indulis Emsis as minister for the environment.
In the 7th Saeima (1998-2002), Greens weren't represented.
At the legislative elections
, 5 October 2002, it was part of the Union of Greens and Farmers
(Zaļo un Zemnieku savienība) coalition, that won 9.5 % of popular vote and 12 out of 100 seats. Three members of the Green party of Latvia were elected: Indulis Emsis
, Arvids Ulme and Leopolds Ozolins. The UGF joined a four-party center-right coalition government and was represented there with three ministers, one of them the Green minister for the environment, Raimonds Vejonis
.
In February 2004, after the breakdown of the four-party government, Indulis Emsis
was appointed to form a new government and became the first Green prime minister of Latvia. His government was the first government in the world to be headed by a member of a Green party. His minority government was forced to resign in the fall of the same year. A new coalition government led by the People’s Party took office, in which the Green Party was involved as part of the Unions of Greens and Farmers.
At the 2006 elections
, the Green Party remained part of the Union of Greens and Farmers, which won 16,7 % of popular vote and 18 (four for the Greens) out of 100 seats (one of them is taken by the former Waffen SS assistant officer Visvaldis Lacis). The party remained part of the coalition government along with the People’s Party, Latvian First Party/Latvian Way, and the Fatherland and Freedom Party. Green party chairman and former prime minister Indulis Emsis became speaker of Parliament in November 2006. Retired on September 21, 2007
Green politics
Green politics is a political ideology that aims for the creation of an ecologically sustainable society rooted in environmentalism, social liberalism, and grassroots democracy...
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 was founded January 13, 1990.
Chairpersons
Three co-chairpersons share the leadership position at any one time. Former chairpersons of the Latvian Green Party include:- Olegs Batarevskis (1990 - 1997)
- Valts Vilnitis (1990 - 1991)
- Juris Zvirgzds (1990 - 1995)
- Gunars Lakutis (1991 - 1993)
- Peteris Jansons (1993 - 1994)
- Janis Kalvins (1994 - 1995)
- Indulis EmsisIndulis EmsisIndulis Emsis is a Latvian biologist and politician. He was Prime Minister of Latvia for ten months in 2004, the first Green politician to lead a country in the history of the world. He was Speaker of the Saeima, the Latvian parliament from 2006 to 2007...
(from 1995) - Ruta Bendere (1995 - 1996)
- Askolds Klavins (1996 - 2001)
- Valdis Felsbergs (1997-2003)
- Viesturs Silenieks (from 2001)
- Raimonds VējonisRaimonds VejonisRaimonds Vējonis is a Latvian politician of the Green Party and the incumbent Minister of the Environment of Latvia.He has a Masters in biology from the University of Latvia.-References:...
(from 2003)
, chairpersons are Viesturs Silenieks and Raimonds Vējonis.
Elections
In the constitutional congress of modern Latvia (The Highest Board of Latvia Republic, 1990-1993), there were seven Green delegates.In the first elected parliament of independent Latvia (the fifth Saeima
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,...
, 1993-1995), there was one Green deputy (Anna Seile). In the 6th Saeima (1995-1998), the Latvian Green party was represented by four members: Indulis Emsis
Indulis Emsis
Indulis Emsis is a Latvian biologist and politician. He was Prime Minister of Latvia for ten months in 2004, the first Green politician to lead a country in the history of the world. He was Speaker of the Saeima, the Latvian parliament from 2006 to 2007...
, Guntis Enins, Janis Kalvins and Janis Razna.
From 1993 to 1998, Greens were part of the governing coalition with Indulis Emsis as minister for the environment.
In the 7th Saeima (1998-2002), Greens weren't represented.
At the 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....
, 5 October 2002, it was part of the Union of Greens and Farmers
Union of Greens and Farmers
Union of Greens and Farmers is a green/agrarian and conservative political alliance in Latvia. It consists of two political parties: Latvian Farmers' Union and the Green Party of Latvia . It is the third-largest party in the Saeima....
(Zaļo un Zemnieku savienība) coalition, that won 9.5 % of popular vote and 12 out of 100 seats. Three members of the Green party of Latvia were elected: Indulis Emsis
Indulis Emsis
Indulis Emsis is a Latvian biologist and politician. He was Prime Minister of Latvia for ten months in 2004, the first Green politician to lead a country in the history of the world. He was Speaker of the Saeima, the Latvian parliament from 2006 to 2007...
, Arvids Ulme and Leopolds Ozolins. The UGF joined a four-party center-right coalition government and was represented there with three ministers, one of them the Green minister for the environment, Raimonds Vejonis
Raimonds Vejonis
Raimonds Vējonis is a Latvian politician of the Green Party and the incumbent Minister of the Environment of Latvia.He has a Masters in biology from the University of Latvia.-References:...
.
In February 2004, after the breakdown of the four-party government, Indulis Emsis
Indulis Emsis
Indulis Emsis is a Latvian biologist and politician. He was Prime Minister of Latvia for ten months in 2004, the first Green politician to lead a country in the history of the world. He was Speaker of the Saeima, the Latvian parliament from 2006 to 2007...
was appointed to form a new government and became the first Green prime minister of Latvia. His government was the first government in the world to be headed by a member of a Green party. His minority government was forced to resign in the fall of the same year. A new coalition government led by the People’s Party took office, in which the Green Party was involved as part of the Unions of Greens and Farmers.
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...
, the Green Party remained part of the Union of Greens and Farmers, which won 16,7 % of popular vote and 18 (four for the Greens) out of 100 seats (one of them is taken by the former Waffen SS assistant officer Visvaldis Lacis). The party remained part of the coalition government along with the People’s Party, Latvian First Party/Latvian Way, and the Fatherland and Freedom Party. Green party chairman and former prime minister Indulis Emsis became speaker of Parliament in November 2006. Retired on September 21, 2007
See also
- Green party
- Green politicsGreen politicsGreen politics is a political ideology that aims for the creation of an ecologically sustainable society rooted in environmentalism, social liberalism, and grassroots democracy...
- List of environmental organizations
- Politics of LatviaPolitics of LatviaThe politics of Latvia takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. The President holds a primarily ceremonial role as Head of State. Executive power is exercised by the government...
- Worldwide Green PartiesWorldwide green partiesA Green party or ecologist party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of Green politics. These principles usually include social justice, reliance on grassroots democracy, nonviolence, and an emphasis on environmentalism...