The political alliance that redefined Latvia's Soviet history

Cultures · Published 10 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In Latvia, the word 'occupation' is a powerful political trigger. One alliance, however, famously argues that the 1940 Soviet entry was an 'annexation' instead. By shifting the vocabulary of history, this group has navigated a complex path between social democracy and the interests of the Russian minority.

Founded on July 9, 2005, the Harmony Centre (Saskaņas Centrs) emerged as a catch-all political alliance. The group sought to unite the Latvian centre-left while focusing on advocating for the Russian tongue and its people. The alliance was built from the remnants of 'For Human Rights in a United Latvia,' eventually merging various parties into the Social Democratic Party 'Harmony' and the Socialist Party by 2009.

The group's influence was significant but often isolated. For nearly a decade, it was the largest political force in the Latvian Parliament, yet it remained in opposition. Mainstream parties frequently excluded them from government due to their stances on citizenship laws and their perceived close ties to United Russia. This tension reached a peak in the 2022 elections, where the alliance suffered a crushing loss and lost all its seats in the Saeima.

The alliance's most distinctive feature is its nuanced, and often controversial, approach to history. Leaders Jānis Urbanovičs and Nils Ušakovs have rejected the term 'occupation' for the 1940 Soviet entry, arguing from an international law perspective that it was an 'annexation.' They argue that recognizing it as an occupation could harm those who immigrated during the Soviet era. While they acknowledge the brutal crimes of the Stalinist regime, they advocate for focusing on current economic and social problems rather than historical debates.

The alliance has faced internal fractures over modern geopolitics. In early 2026, it was revived after the Socialist Party left due to differing perceptions of the war in Ukraine. The group continues to advocate for progressive taxation, minority rights, and social spending, while maintaining a stance that views certain geopolitical actions, such as the annexation of Crimea, as desperate measures to prevent military imbalances between NATO and Russia.

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