NA politician warns party risks losing its ideological identity after election setback

Following Latvia's 15th Saeima election, won decisively by the United List with 35.3% of the vote, a National Alliance (NA) politician has published reflections on the party's performance and future. NA received 8.9% support in the election.

The author notes that NA won three fewer seats than in the previous election, calling it a serious warning sign. He draws a comparison with the Greens and Farmers Union, which according to preliminary results received only 4.4% of the vote and failed to clear the 5% threshold for entering parliament, as well as with the New Conservative Party, which he says lost support after abandoning its conservative voters.

Losing ideological footing

The piece argues that NA has in recent years failed to take a clear position on issues such as withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention and supporting President Edgars Rinkēvičs for a second term. The author also criticizes Foreign Minister Baiba Braže and expresses concern that the party has come to resemble a satellite of the Unity party.

Particular emphasis is placed on Raivis Dzintars' departure from the role of party leader, which the author describes as a major loss for the party's substance and ideological identity. The piece also mentions candidate Valts Dalbiņš, who received a large number of negative preferential votes in the election despite, in the author's assessment, not deserving the last-place ranking.

The author warns that if NA continues to lose a clear ideological stance, its supporters may turn to the newly formed nationalist party Rising Sun (Austošā saule). The election was won by the United List, followed by the Latvian First Party/Latvia's Way with 13.1% and Sovereign Power/Union of Latvians with 11.71% of the vote.