Social Democratic Party (Latvia)

Social Democratic Party
Sociāldemokrātiskā partija
AbbreviationSDS (2002–2008)
SDP (2008–2010)
LeaderEgils Rutkovskis
FounderEgils Baldzēns
Founded24 March 2002 (2002-03-24)
Dissolved10 February 2010 (2010-02-10)
Split fromLatvian Social Democratic Workers' Party
Merged intoSocial Democratic Party "Harmony"
HeadquartersRiga, Basteja bulvārī 12 (2.stāvā), LV-1050.
Youth wingJaunatnes Sociāldemokrātiskā Savienība
IdeologySocial democracy
Political positionCentre-left
National affiliationHarmony Centre (2009–2010)
International affiliationSocialist International[1]
Colours  Red
Website
socialdemokrati.lv

The Social Democratic Party (Latvian: Sociāldemokrātiskā partija, SDP; formerly Social Democratic Union, Latvian: Sociāldemokrātu savienība, SDS) was a political party in Latvia formed by a splinter group from the Latvian Social Democratic Labour Party (LSDSP) after the leader of the LSDSP faction in the Saeima, Egils Baldzēns, lost to Juris Bojārs in the elections for party chairman on 27 October 2001. The major factor in the schism was the increasing intimacy between the LSDSP and the For Human Rights in United Latvia Bloc, considered to be excessively pro-Russian by the more nationalist members in Baldzēns' breakaway wing of the party. The newly formed SDS held its founding congress in Riga on 24 March 2002. In the 2002 election, the party won 1.5% of the popular vote and no seats. The last leader of the party was Egils Rutkovskis.

In January 2009, the party joined the Harmony Centre coalition.[2] It merged into the Harmony party in 2010.

Election results

Legislative elections

Election Party leader Performance Rank Government
Votes % ± pp Seats +/–
2002 Egils Baldzēns 15,162 1.53 New
0 / 100
New 10th Extra-parliamentary
2006 Pēteris Salkazanovs Did not contest Extra-parliamentary
2010 Egils Rutkovskis 251,400 26.61 Increase 25.08
0 / 100
Steady 0 Increase 2nd Extra-parliamentary[a]
  1. ^ Harmony Centre list won 29 seats - 24 went to SDPS - 4 went to SPL - 1 to DCP

European Parliament elections

Election Party leader Performance Rank
Votes % ± pp Seats +/–
2004 Pēteris Salkazanovs 1,988 0.35 New
0 / 8
New 16th
2009 Alfrēds Rubiks 154,894 19.93 Increase 19.58
0 / 8
Steady 0 Increase 2nd[a]
  1. ^ Harmony Centre list won 2 seats - 1 went to TSP - 1 to LSP

References

  1. ^ "Sociāldemokrātu Savienība - SDS". www.socialdemokrati.lv. Archived from the original on 23 February 2005. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  2. ^ (in Latvian) http://www.saskanascentrs.lv/index.php?text&id=39&level=1&cid=482&do=news (in Russian)http://www.saskanascentrs.lv/index.php?text&id=39&level=1&cid=482&do=news