Conservatives teetering with more resignations from party ranks

Take note – story published 1 year ago

The Conservatives (Konservatīvie) political party appeared close to collapse January 24 with news of more resignations from party ranks.

Party deputies from Ropaži district have become the latest to quit the party according to Raitis Bukovskis, head of the district branch, who said that he was one of the departees.

He stated that on January 23, 16 members of the Ropaži district branch announced their withdrawal from the "Conservatives" party, which is about three quarters of the membership.

Among those who left the party are members of the Ropaži district council Irēna Krote and Renāte Gremze.

Bukovskis, who was one of the founders of the original New Conservative Party which later remaned itself as the Conservatives, explained:

"Since the defeat of the Conservatives in the 14th Saeima elections, the party has not been able to stop the mass exodus of members and prepare for the relaunch of the party.

As a united team, the like-minded members who left the Ropaži branch of the party will focus more on political activities in the local Ropaži municipality, as well as solving issues relevant to the citizens."

Recent weeks have seen most of the members of the Ventspils branch, as well as three members of Riga City Council – Riga Vice Mayor Linda Ozola, plus deputies Jānis Ozols and Dāvis Stalts – all leaving the party. 

The chairman of the Conservatives, Gatis Eglītis has promised that the party will continue to work and a major change process is taking place within the party, in order to regain the trust of the wider public and successfully run in the next elections, but that is lookig like an increasingly folorn hope.

Founded in 2014 as an anti-corruption, center-right political force, the New Conservative Party turned in a strong performance in local elections in 2017 before really emerging in the Saeima elections of 2018, finishing with 16 seats and nearly 14% of the vote. 

However, that proved to be the party's high water mark and over the next four years they steadily lost support. By the time of the 2022 Saeima elections they failed to get close even to the 5% threshold needed to secure Saeima seats, winding up with just 3% of the vote. 

Seen a mistake?

Select text and press Ctrl+Enter to send a suggested correction to the editor

Select text and press Report a mistake to send a suggested correction to the editor

Related articles

More

Most important