“Progresīvie” announces candidate list leaders for 15th Saeima

Regional leaders

On Monday, July 29, the party “Progresīvie” (The Progressives) revealed the candidates who will top their lists in each region for the upcoming 15th Saeima elections. In Riga, the list will be headed by party co-chair and prime ministerial candidate Andris Šuvajevs. In Kurzeme, the leader is former Minister of Culture and co-chair Agnese Lāce, while in Latgale it will be incumbent MP Leila Rasima. For Vidzeme, the first spot goes to security expert and former Defense Minister Andris Sprūds, and in Zemgale to former Transport Minister and MP Atis Švinka.

A new political era

Šuvajevs emphasized that the party has cultivated a new generation of politicians with actual government experience. He predicted that the 15th Saeima elections will mark the beginning of a new political era in Latvia, requiring a fresh vision and story. He also pointed to populist efforts over the past six years to divide society and undermine trust in democratic institutions, which is why “Progresīvie” has chosen to join forces with parties that stand for democracy, against corruption, and for fair economic growth.

Defending values and regional issues

Agnese Lāce highlighted the party’s achievements in defending values, such as the adoption of the Istanbul Convention and partnership regulation, while noting that the party stood with society against populist attempts to dismantle them. She stressed the need to create freedom and conditions for everyone to fully realize themselves across Latvia, including the diaspora.

Leila Rasima focused specifically on the challenges facing Latgale, stating that the region’s resilience is not just a regional but a national security issue. She advocates for strengthening independent media, ensuring Latgalian voices are heard, and securing EU investments for the eastern border region.

Security and economy

Andris Sprūds prioritized citizen security, business development, a modern defense industry, and strengthening education and science. He emphasized the need to enhance societal resilience together with allies.

Atis Švinka concentrated on economic growth and well-paying jobs. He argued that Latvia’s prosperity comes from strong, export-oriented companies that create opportunities for small and medium enterprises and strengthen regions overall.

Coalition with other parties

As previously reported, “Progresīvie” will run in the 15th Saeima elections in cooperation with the parties “Kustība ‘Par!’”, “Mēs – Talsiem un novadam”, and the association “Kopā Liepājai”. The full candidate lists are scheduled to be submitted to the Central Election Commission on Wednesday, July 1.