Former president attempts a political comeback

Take note – story published 7 years and 6 months ago

Latvia's former president, Andris Bērziņš, has announced that he will stand as a councilor in local government elections scheduled for June 3. 

Bērziņš, who served as president from 2011 until 2015 will been named on the Greens and Farmers Alliance (ZZS) list for a seat in Riga despite the fact that he lives 90 kilometers from the capital in Amata municipality, he confirmed to LTV.

However, it is not the first time he has stood in Riga. In 2005 he was the party's candidate to become mayor, but ZZS failed to win a single seat in the capital.

Voters would be well advised to check their ballot papers carefully however, as another Andris Bērziņš is standing in Riga on the Harmony/Honor To Serve Riga ticket.

Bērziņš made his fortune as a banker before a brief period as a Saeima deputy was brought to a premature end when he was surprisingly elected president.

But he is not the only familiar face appearing on ZZS' candidate lists with former Jurmala mayor Gatis Truksnis reportedly attempting re-election despite an ongoing criminal investigation and Ventspils mayor Aivars Lembergs also certain to start despite a criminal trial for graft that has lasted the best part of a decade.

Lembergs, who was famously once described by his party colleague Raimonds Vejonis - now President himself - as a "national security risk" spent April 20 enthusiastically advocating Latvia's participation in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, despite the fact that it is the stated position of the government to oppose the project.

ZZS is also the party of Latvian Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis.

 

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