If the coalition itself is unable to resolve the political crisis, it may be necessary for President Edgars Rinkēvičs to get involved, according to Linda Liepiņa, Chair of the Latvija pirmajā vietā (Latvia First) parliamentary faction.
Speaking to the LETA news agency, the politician noted that Latvia is in a political crisis, and the decision to end it should be made by the coalition itself. “If the coalition and Prime Minister Evika Siliņa (New Unity) are unable to do so, then perhaps the president should become involved in some way,” Liepiņa said.
The MP pointed out that after Thursday’s regular Saeima sitting was closed due to lack of quorum, New Unity was ready to consider only one issue at the extraordinary session – the draft law on the creation of Counter-Mobility Infrastructure. However, opposition MPs had proposed reviewing all other items on the agenda as well.
“There is no sense of cooperation. Only after collecting 34 deputies’ signatures was a second extraordinary sitting announced, where all the remaining agenda items were considered – except for these two controversial bills [amendments to the Law ‘On Pollution’ and the Economic Sustainability Bill],” said Liepiņa, rhetorically asking why the opposition should not use quorum-breaking tactics if their voice is ignored.
“If we really wanted to deliberately destabilize the situation and deepen the crisis, we could ‘break quorum’ at the very start of the sitting and stop work altogether,” Liepiņa remarked, noting that such proposals had indeed been heard among MPs.
She stressed that the opposition is not currently using such tools, but also warned that the situation is very serious
and has been ignored for too long.
When asked how LPV sees parliamentary work after the adoption of the budget, Liepiņa replied that it could change if one of the governing parties decided to leave the coalition or if the Prime Minister decided to step down.
The MP emphasized that the key question is on what principles this government was built. According to Liepiņa, it may be the case that parties representing very different values work together in one government.
“In that case, the goal must be clear – for example, working toward an economic direction – rather than putting the Istanbul Convention issue at the very foundation as one of the values, when for part of the MPs this was never really a value,” Liepiņa said, pointing out that eventually “everything collapses,” and
sometimes a step back in cooperation is necessary.
Asked whether LPV would be ready to take part in forming a new government in the event of the current government’s collapse, Liepiņa replied that it would depend on the circumstances of the government’s fall and on who would take the lead in forming the new cabinet.
At the same time, the MP stressed that she does not believe LPV would be willing to join another government led by New Unity in a different format.
Liepiņa acknowledged that LPV could possibly support or even take part in a minority government.
As reported, Thursday’s regular Saeima sitting was closed after the opposition “broke quorum” during the vote on amendments to the Law “On Pollution,” which are intended to transpose into Latvian law the EU directives regulating the Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the new system for buildings, transport, and additional sectors (ETS2).
After several rounds of voting, only 48 deputies voted on the sixth amendment of the bill.
Due to lack of quorum, Saeima Speaker Daiga Mieriņa (Union of Greens and Farmers – ZZS) closed the parliamentary sitting.
The opposition also “broke quorum” at the previous Saeima sitting, which was then closed without MPs reviewing a number of draft laws.
On the same day, the Saeima majority also rejected the opposition’s request for Prime Minister Siliņa’s resignation. The vote of no confidence had been initiated by opposition parties the National Alliance (NA) and the United List.
The vote took place at a time when relations within the coalition itself – between New Unity, the Progressives, and ZZS – have become seriously strained. Coalition partners have pledged, at least for now, to continue working together in order to adopt next year’s “security budget.”
The coalition’s internal crisis was triggered by ZZS’s actions at the September 25 Saeima sitting, when it sided with the opposition to initiate Latvia’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention. Accession to the Istanbul Convention had previously been set as a key condition for the formation of Siliņa’s government, which brought together New Unity, ZZS, and the Progressives.
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