People's Party, LPP/LC to join forces

2010-04-22
Oskars Magone

Slesers' (left) and Skele's initials will make up the name of the new party, which they expect to become the largest in the country. (photo: LPP/LC)

RIGA -- Two of Latvia's leading political parties, the People's Party (TP) and Latvia's First/Latvia's Way (LPP/LC), have announced that they will join forces for the parliamentary elections later this year.

The name of the new voting ticket will be (AS) ² -- representing the initials of the presidents of the two parties, Ainars Slesers and Andris Skele.

The two leaders, widely known as two of the country's 'oligarchs', were able to implement the name despite numerous objections from within their respective parties.

"It is time to look forward," LPP/LC head Ainars Slesers said.

Slesers said he expected about 37 seats in the next Saeima, and that total membership could be about 10,000, making the joint union the biggest political entity in Latvia.

"In bringing together Latvia's brightest minds, we can bring change," People's Party President Andris Skele said.

The new voting bloc will also include "thousands" of new faces, the leaders said, largely coming from the new political movement "For a Good Latvia". The People's Party is currently the largest political party in the country.