Krauze: ZZS election setback tied to shift on Istanbul Convention
ZZS leader Armands Krauze says his party's poor election result stems largely from its changed stance on the Istanbul Convention, which alienated conservative voters. He says he is ready to take responsibility while the party continues operating.
The leader of the Greens and Farmers Union (ZZS), Armands Krauze, has said several factors contributed to his party's disappointing election result, but identified a values-related issue as the most significant one. According to him, ZZS voters tend to be conservative, and the party's shift in position on the Istanbul Convention cost it support, with voters effectively punishing the party at the ballot box.
Competition from the United List
As a second factor, Krauze pointed to the election's winner, the "United List" (AS), which he described as partly made up of former ZZS figures, including Raimonds Bergmanis and Edgars Tavars. He said voters had a choice between AS and ZZS, and that AS representative Andris Kulbergs managed to win them over in recent months largely through personal appeal rather than concrete achievements.
Party vows to continue
Krauze stated that ZZS will keep operating and is already preparing for the next parliamentary (Saeima) elections. He noted that ZZS and the Latvian Farmers' Union still hold a significant number of seats in municipal governments across the country. While acknowledging that the party's leadership must bear responsibility for the setback, he said party members will ultimately decide the course going forward. He added that he personally is prepared to take responsibility, and did not rule out a possible confidence vote on the party leadership.
Possible future coalition
Discussing the next government, Krauze suggested a coalition could be formed by AS, the National Alliance, and "New Unity." He did not exclude other possibilities, including "Latvia First" joining the government, noting that AS itself is diverse, encompassing multiple lists and independent candidates. In Krauze's assessment, from a national-interest standpoint, the best outcome would be for Kulbergs to continue leading the government and fulfill the commitments made before the election.
