Center-right parties join forces

RIGA - Three major center-right parties in Latvia have agreed to join forces in the next election by establishing a political union.

The new union would consist of the ruling New Era party, as well as the Society for Different Politics and the Civic Union, both of which are newly-formed.

Aigars Stokenbergs, co-head of the Society For Different Politics, told LETA that the new union was being created to counter the "Slesers-Usakovs bloc".

The name of the new union has not yet been revealed. The union is aiming to be ready to take part in the upcoming Saima (Latvian Parliament) elections next year.

SKDS Public Opinion Study Center head Arnis Kaktins told Apollo the move to join together was a logical one, since the three parties would all face a difficult electoral cycle on their own.

"Support for each party is low, and if they do not change their behavior, their hopes to overcome the 5 percent barrier is also small," he said.