This article gives an overview of liberalism in Latvia. It is limited to liberal parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in the Saeima. The sign ⇒ denotes another party in that scheme. For inclusion in this scheme it isn't necessary so that parties labelled themselves as a liberal party.

Background

Latvia was one of the early post World War I nations which adopted some ideas from the 1919 Weimar Constitution. German liberal lawyer Hugo Preuß (Preuss) is often attributed as the author of the draft version of the constitution that was passed by the Weimar National Assembly,[1] which historian William L. Shirer in a book The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich regards as "the most liberal and democratic document of its kind the twentieth century had ever seen ... full of ingenious and admirable devices which seemed to guarantee the working of an almost flawless democracy.".

In Latvia some early law experts such as Kārlis Dišlers, Fēlikss Cielēns and modern day jurists agree that Weimar Constitution was underlying the wording of the Constitution of Latvia (Satversme), and in some way is a synthesis between the Weimar Constitution and Westminster system used in the United Kingdom.[2][3]

History

Liberalism in Latvia was a small but important force since 1922 in Latvia. The current regained position after the re-independence of 1990. Nowadays the Latvian Way (Latvijas Ceļš, member LI, ELDR) is a right of center market liberal party. Currently the party has merged with the Latvia's First Party to form LPP/LC.

German Baltic Democratic Party

  • 1918: Moderate German liberals in Latvia formed the German-Baltic Democratic Party (Deutsch-Baltische Demokratische Partei/Vācbaltu demokrātiskā partija)
  • 1934: The party is banned, along with all other political parties, after a coup by Kārlis Ulmanis

German Baltic Progressive Party

  • 1918: Radical German liberals in Latvia formed the German-Baltic Progressive Party (Deutsch-Baltische Fortschrittliche Partei/Vācbaltu progresīvā partija)
  • 1934: The party is banned

From Democratic Party to Democratic Centre

  • 1922: Shortly after its foundation the Democratic Party (Demokrātiskā partija) merged with the Radical Democratic Party (Radikālā Demokrātiskā partija) and the People's Party (Ļaužu partija) into the Democratic Centre (Demokrātiskais centrs). The party is led by the later presidents of Latvia, Jānis Čakste and Gustavs Zemgals.
  • 1934: The party is banned. In exile it is continued by the Liberal Party (Liberāļu partija)

Latgalian Democratic Party

  • 1920: Latgalian liberals formed the Latgalian Democratic Party (Latgales demokrātu partija)
  • 1926: The party merged into the Latgalian Democratic Farmers Union (Latgales demokrātisko zemnieku savienība)

Mizrochi

From Democratic Centre Party to Latvian Democratic Party

  • 1992: A Democratic Centre Party (Demokrātiskā centra partija) is founded as a refoundation of the ⇒ Democratic Centre
  • 1994: The party merged with another group into the Democratic Party "Saimnieks" (Demokrātiskā partija "Saimnieks")
  • 1997: Many members left to join the Workers' Party and the Latvian National Reform Party
  • 1999: The party is renamed Latvian Democratic Party (Latvijas demokrātiskā partija)

Latvia's Way

New Era Party to Unity

  • 2002: New Era Party (Jaunais laiks) was formed.
  • 2008: Society for Political Change (Sabiedrība Citai Politikai) was formed.
  • 2010: JL, SCP and the conservative ⇒ Civic Union formed an electoral alliance called -'Unity' (Vienotība).
  • 2011: Unity became a political party.
  • 2011: Zatlers' Reform Party (Zatlera Reformu Partija) was formed.
  • 2015: ZRP merged into Unity.
  • 2018: Unity formed with regional parties New Unity (Jaunā Vienotība).

For Latvia's Development

Liberal leaders

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Weimar Constitution and its "Father" Hugo Preuss". The National Library of Israel. 23 February 2017. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  2. ↑ Potjomkina, Diāna; Sprūds, Andris; Ščerbinskis, Valters (2016). The centenary of Latvias's foreign affairs: Ideas and personalities. ISBN 978-9984-583-99-0. OCLC 1012747806.
  3. ↑ Apsītis, Romāns; Pleps, Janis (2012). "About The Constitution of the Republic of Latvia: History and Modern Days" (PDF). The Constitution of the Republic of Latvia. Latvijas Vēstnesis. ISBN 978-9984-840-20-8.
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