Opposition Councillor Must Offer Solutions, Not Just Criticism, Says Limbaži Politician Beļaunieks

Māris Beļaunieks, a member of the Limbaži municipal council in Latvia representing the party Latvian Regions Alliance (LRA), has secured a place on the council. The regional newspaper Auseklis profiles his political path. Its headline says an opposition councillor must not only criticise but also propose solutions.

Election result and mandate

Beļaunieks ran on the LRA list in the Limbaži municipal elections. He received 4,652 votes, 706 marks in favour and 513 against, and finished first behind the cut-off line. In June this year he became a councillor, because party colleague Dāvis Melnalksnis temporarily gave up his seat after becoming a member of the Saeima, Latvia's parliament. Beļaunieks currently holds a so-called soft mandate. However, since Melnalksnis has already been elected to the 15th Saeima, Beļaunieks will most likely be able to work on the council.

Education and career

Beļaunieks trained as a physical education teacher at the Latvian State Institute of Physical Culture. His first workplace was Liepupe Secondary School, followed by Limbaži Vocational School and Limbaži Sports School. At one point he headed the Olympic Centre Limbaži.

In 2009 he became head of the Limbaži town administration. Since then he has held various paid and elected posts in local government, including executive director and parish manager. From 2014 to May 2015 he served as chairman of the council. According to him, that came about as a result of various political twists.

In 2021 Beļaunieks held the status of Saeima deputy for two weeks. He gave it up after being elected to the Limbaži municipal council, where he became first deputy to council chairman Dagnis Straubergs.

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