Unity wants coalition partners to unite in Rīga local elections

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The Unity party has called on its coalition partners – the Union of Greens and Farmers and the National Alliance – to unite for a joint ticket for the upcoming 2017 local elections in Riga, the party’s representatives told the press Friday.

The party’s representatives said that by uniting their forces ahead of the local elections, the three partners in Latvia’s government coalition could win the local elections in Riga and receive support for a “new administration” in the Latvian capital.

“It is our common responsibility to prevent populists from gaining victory in the capital city by splitting society, involving nongovernmental organizations that are generally sponsored by the local authority and advertising themselves at the residents' expense,” Unity said in a statement.

The agreement, proposed by Unity, provides for forming a coalition in which the three parties would share power in Riga in accordance with the voter support received in the local elections.

Although they might also agree on other parties’ involvement in the coalition, collaboration with Harmony and Honor to Serve Riga, the parties forming the current ruling coalition in Riga, has been ruled out.

National Alliance are ready to talk

National Alliance co-chairman Gaidis Bērziņš told LETA that National Alliance is prepared to discuss the scenario, saying it would be a very welcome step if the parties could agree on a joint ticket. 

He said that National Alliance had proposed a similar initiative in last year's elections, however political forces couldn't agree on the matter then.

Greens likely to run on their own

While Armands Krauze, chairman of the Greens and Farmers Union, said that they'll run with a joint ticket. 

He said that they will hear what Unity's representatives have to say, however Krauze is of the opinion that the Greens will run on their own as they have already made that decision. 

Krauze noted that the Union of Greens and Farmers has already consolidated its ranks as the Green Party and the Farmers Union have agreed to participate in the elections in Riga as a united bloc and not as a two separate parties as it was the case in the previous elections.

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