Commentary: No Change of Riga City Council Coalition Appears Imminent
Political commentator Bens Latkovskis argues that no force in the Riga City Council is currently determined enough to change the ruling coalition. The main dividing issue is how traffic is organised in the city.
The Riga City Council held an extraordinary session at which new deputies were elected to its committees. They received their mandates after some council members became deputies of the 15th Saeima, Latvia's parliament. Most of them represent the opposition parties Latvia First (LPV) and Sovereign Power/Jaunlatvieši (SV/J). Political commentator Bens Latkovskis writes in the daily Neatkarīgā Rīta Avīze that, although the change itself is not decisive, it invites a broader look at the balance of forces in the capital's municipality.
Traffic as the main dividing line
Latkovskis considers transport policy one of the sharpest issues in Riga. Debates over bollards, flower pots and modal filters have run for several years, and the coming repair of the Vanšu Bridge will make them more pressing. In his view, LPV, the National Alliance (NA) and the United List (AS) favour greater convenience for private car traffic, while the governing Progressives reorganise the city's streets and traffic in favour of other road users.
The seat arithmetic
The council coalition consists of the Progressives (PRO) and New Unity (JV), with 20 seats between them. LPV, NA and AS together hold 27 seats, so a majority of more than 30 votes would require support from another force. The commentator names SV/J and the party Stability! but believes cooperation with them would damage the reputation of NA and LPV. He adds that NA's Riga council leader Edvards Ratnieks is closer to LPV on economic matters than to his current coalition partners.
Latkovskis concludes that no force on the council is currently ready to make a serious effort to change the coalition, and all prefer to wait. The text is the author's opinion.
