Page 13 - CE Outlook Regions 2022

Viktor Orban’s nationalist party will use these conflicts to shore up
its core supporter base, and will communicate such moves from
Brussels as interfering in Hungarian politics on the opposition
side.

Fidesz, the former member of the Liberal International, has
landed in a political no man's land after leaving the European
People’s Party in 2020, ending a long and bitter relationship with
the EU’s largest fraction. Orban is working hard to create new
alliances on the European political landscape. The outcome of
the election will not likely change Fidesz’s course to forge closer
cooperation with eurosceptic radical rightwing parties.

1.4 Politics - Latvia

The municipal elections in Latvia, held in June 2021, have opened the
informal election campaign season. If the local election results mirror
public opinion, the October 2022 parliamentary polls will likely provide
little comfort for anyone. As in previous years, no party will gain a
majority and fracture and compromise will remain the order of the day.
Established parties like Harmony and New Unity will face younger,
energised challengers in the Progressives, Latvian Association of
Regions and For Latvia’s Development Minority.

From the beginning of 2019, the government in Latvia has been
composed of the following: New Unity (Jaunā Vienotība), Who Owns
the State? (Kam pieder valsts, KPV LV), New Conservative Party
(Jaunā konservatīvā partija), Development/For! (Attīstībai/Par!), and the
National Alliance “All For Latvia!” – “For Fatherland and Freedom”
(Nacionālā apvienība “Visu Latvijai!” – “Tēvzemei un Brīvībai/LNNK”)
(“Komentarze IEŚ”, nr 1). On June 2, the KPV LV party (currently For
Human Latvia – Par cilvēcīgu Latviju) was removed from the
government coalition.

In 2021 several new political parties also emerged in Latvia: the Law
and Order party, Stability! party, Latvia First party, and the Republic
party, which position themselves in opposition to the government and
are taking advantage of the disenchantment of citizens with the current
policies of the state. The fragmented parliament and frequent changes
in the government are characteristic for Latvia; therefore, it is possible
that the new parties will achieve a good result and be elected to the
Saeima.

The new parties are looking for support among protest voters, which is
why they are willing to take advantage of the uncertain situation caused
by the pandemic and the migration crisis.

Some of the party leaders, like Gobzems, Rosļikovs, and Šlesers,

13 CE Outlook 2022 www.intellinews.com