Latvia's National Alliance leader admits gaps in vetting party's own candidates
National Alliance leader Ilze Indriksone discussed in a LETA podcast how the party has handled controversial statements and decisions by its candidates on women, abortion and Russia, often admitting she was unaware of or unwilling to assess colleagues' past conduct.
For the first time, Latvia's National Alliance (NA) is led by a woman — party chair and prime ministerial candidate Ilze Indriksone. Yet in an interview for the LETA podcast "Politiķi! Kas tas vispār bija?!" several contradictions emerged between the party's public image and statements or decisions made by some of its representatives.
Women make up only 30 of NA's 125 candidates on its election list, or 24% — the lowest share among parties running in this election. The list includes Valts Dalbiņš, who wrote on social media that women outside the family bring death. Indriksone called the statements shocking but admitted she did not know about them before he was added to the list. The party board later expelled Dalbiņš from NA, though he remains on the ballot.
Uncertainty over other candidates
Regarding past remarks by former National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP) chair, now a parliamentary secretary at the Culture Ministry, Ivars Āboliņš, who had praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indriksone said she "does not intend to assess or dig into it." She justified his candidacy by pointing to his later work at NEPLP, including restrictions on Russian TV channels. Asked about Riga city councillor Liāna Langa's campaign against Russian-language use and her differing treatment of its supporters, Indriksone suggested asking Langa directly. She called Deputy Mayor Edvards Ratnieks' comparison of people to monkeys inappropriate, while noting she does not know the full context.
Abortion and the definition of family
Indriksone said she believes a woman has the right to decide about her own body, yet said she understands NA deputies who proposed mandatory counseling before an abortion, citing their Christian beliefs. On the definition of family, she emphasized marriage between a man and a woman as primary, without directly answering whether she considers same-sex couples a family. In 2021, NA submitted constitutional amendments defining family around a mother and father, excluding the possibility of both parents being the same sex.
