Latvijas Krievu savienība
Latvian Russian Union
Latvian Russian Union
European Parliament Group
Change of -1.6 since last election
+0.6 in the last 3 months
The LKS is founded on an ethnocentric worldview, perceiving Latvia as a bi-cultural state. The party rejects the vision of a purely Latvian nation-state and champions legal equality for the Russian minority. It sees itself as a guardian of the Soviet legacy and maintains strong ideological ties to Russia's cultural and political sphere of influence. A central tenet is the belief that collective minority rights should take precedence over individual assimilation.
The party's agenda is radically focused on identity politics, prioritizing the demand for Russian as an official working language and the preservation of Russian-language schools. Furthermore, the party advocates for the automatic naturalization of so-called "non-citizens." Its primary target audience consists of older, Russian-speaking residents in cities like Riga and Daugavpils. Economically, the party often adopts a populist-social stance to mobilize its predominantly lower-income base against government austerity measures.
Strategically, the LKS positions itself as a steadfast opposition force against the Latvian establishment. While other minority parties seek more moderate approaches, the LKS opts for confrontation, utilizing international platforms like the EU Parliament to exert pressure on Latvia's rule of law. Its alignment with Kremlin narratives leads to deep isolation within the national party system and results in constant surveillance by security services, as its objectives frequently clash with the principles of state sovereignty.
Total Duration: -
Total Duration: -
Total Duration: -
The party participated in government for 0% of the legislative period.
A comprehensive research database from the University of Bremen, documenting parties, elections, and governments for comparative analysis.ParlGov – Parliamentary Democracy Data
Döring, Holger and Philip Manow. 2024. Parliaments and governments database (ParlGov).
The leading expert survey on party positions in Europe. Over 400 political scientists document party stances based on rigorous scientific criteria.CHES – Chapel Hill Expert Survey
Rovny, Jan, et al. “25 Years of Political Party Positions in Europe: The Chapel Hill Expert Survey, 1999-2024.”