Social Democratic Party "Harmony"

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Social Democratic Party "Harmony"
Sociāldemokrātiskā Partija "Saskaņa"
Abbreviation SPDS
Chairman Nils Ušakovs
Vice Chairman Jānis Urbanovičs
Founded 21 November 2009 (21 November 2009) cooperation agreement
10 February 2010 (10 February 2010)
party
Merger of National Harmony Party
New Centre
Social Democratic Party
Headquarters Maskavas iela 4 Riga LV-1050
Youth wing "Restart"[1]
Ideology Social democracy[2]
Russian minority politics[2]
Political position Centre-left
European affiliation Party of European Socialists (associate)
International affiliation Socialist International (consultative)
Progressive Alliance
European Parliament group Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
Colours      Red
Saeima
24 / 100
European Parliament
1 / 8
Website
sdps.lv
Politics of Latvia
Political parties
Elections

The Social Democratic Party "Harmony" (Latvian: Sociāldemokrātiskā Partija "Saskaņa", SDPS, Russian: Социал-демократическая партия «Согласие»),[nb 1] also commonly referred to as Harmony (Saskaņa), is a social-democratic political party in Latvia. It is the major catch-all party of the centre-left in Latvian politics. The party was founded in 2010 as the merger of the National Harmony Party (TSP) with New Centre (JC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), a breakaway from the Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party (LSDSP).[3] At that time, all three were members of the former electoral alliance Harmony Centre. The alliance also included the communist Socialist Party of Latvia. The Daugavpils City Party merged into the party in 2011.[4]

The chairman of the party, Nils Ušakovs is the current Mayor of Riga and was the Harmony candidate for the office of Prime Minister of Latvia in 2014. In the Saeima the party has 24 out of 100 seats after polling 23% of the vote at the 2014 parliamentary election. It's parliamentary group is therefore the largest among the six groups in the Latvian Parliament, and the leading opposition group. Internationally, Harmony is a member of the Progressive Alliance[5] and has associate status in the Party of European Socialists.[6] It's sole MEP, Andrejs Mamikins, sits in the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group in the European Parliament.[7]

Harmony is currently the governing party on the Riga City Council in coalition with Proud to serve Riga, the successor to the centre-right Latvia's First Party/Latvian Way which dissolved in 2011. Harmony is the largest party seeking to represent the Russian-speaking population of Latvia.

Election results

Parliament (Saeima)

Election year # of
overall votes
 % of
overall vote
# of
overall seats won
+/– Notes
2010 251,397 26.6
24 / 100
[lower-alpha 1]
2011 259,930 28.4
28 / 100
Increase 4 [lower-alpha 2]
2014 209,887 23.0
24 / 100
Decrease 4
  1. Harmony Centre list won 29 seats - 4 went to SPL - 1 to DCP
  2. Harmony Centre list won 31 seats - 3 went to the SPL

European Parliament

Election year # of
overall votes
 % of
overall vote
# of
overall seats won
+/–
2014 57,863 13.0 (#3)
1 / 8

Symbols

References

  1. The party officially translates its name as Social Democratic Party "Concord"

External links