Motherland (Latvia)

Motherland (Latvian: Dzimtene) was a left-wing populist coalition of political parties in Latvia, founded in 2004. Its chairman was Viktors Kalnbērzs and its membership included currency exchange businessman Juris Žuravļovs. The founding parties were the Social Democratic Welfare Party led by Žuravļovs, "For Freedom, Social Justice and Equal Rights" (Russian abbreviation "ЗаСССР", meaning "ForUSSR") and the Latvian Youth Party of Jānis Kuzins. From 2005 Motherland was represented on the Riga City Council, being elected in a coalition with the Socialist Party of Latvia. In the 2006 parliamentary election Motherland got 2.08% and failed to gain representation in the Saeima. The coalition was dissolved in 2008.[1]

The coalition was succeeded by the For the Motherland! (Latvian: Par Dzimteni!) party. Alīna Ļebedeva unsuccessfully stood as a candidate from the party in the 2009 European Parliament election.[2] From 2012 to 2018 the party name was VSK For an Independent Latvia! (Latvian: VSK "Par neatkarīgu Latviju!").[3]

For the 2018 Latvian parliamentary election, the party was refounded by Žuravļovs and Kuzins as For Alternative (Latvian: Par Alternatīvu) and advocated for the introduction of a syndicalist economy in Latvia. Before the 2019 European Parliament election the party was renamed New Harmony (Latvian: Jaunā Saskaņa, JS), taking inspiration from election competitors SDP Harmony and New Unity.[4]