Latvian Political Monitor

@Mikipele6 That is your Raiv Dzintars' friend, stop playing the fool!

🗳️ Our duty is to ensure that even in emergency situations, every voter has the opportunity to exercise the right to vote guaranteed by the Constitution! That is why we at the Ministry of Justice developed and the Saeima adopted amendments that will allow extending voting time at polling stations on October 3 until 23:59 if voting is significantly disrupted in an orange warning situation. I invite every resident, especially those living in the border region, to take advantage of the opportunity to hand over their vote for safekeeping on the preceding days. ℹ️ From 28 September 2026 until election day, it will be possible to deposit your ballot at all polling stations in Latvia at the following times: 28.09. – 17:00–20:00 29.09. – 08:00–11:00 30.09. – 17:00–20:00 01.10. – 08:00–11:00 02.10. – 12:00–15:00 Video author: LTV Rīta Panorāma (06.08.2026)

@irLV @AivarsOzo https://t.co/qBoWIczdKK

@irLV @AivarsOzo Ask Raivis Dzintars, photo on the right, about the pro-Russian NA government! https://t.co/ow4vRc3Fdy

@Mikipele6 https://t.co/IamWlrmOUN

🚧The prolonged and poor-quality repair of Dzirnavu Street! ❓Do you also think this is an unsuccessful project? Write in the comments! ⤵️ #Dzirnavuiela #remonts #satiksme #iedzīvotājiem https://t.co/OMgyjUYN2M

@Mikipe6 Georg, I warned you, you probably don't get it! The pro-Kremlin Raivis Dzintars photo on the right! https://t.co/O25qrnoc1Q

@Gaumigais_joks Distorted Keynesianism. That's what I also wrote. Because theory is spoiled by political practice.

Since July 10, the compensation procedure for damages caused by military incidents has been in force, which was one of the 3 main priorities of the Ministry of Justice! ✅ This is not only a clear signal to the people of Latvia, but has also had several other positive effects! Video author: LTV Rīta Panorāma (06.08.2026)

🇱🇻🇺🇦 Latvia continues to stand by Ukraine. New Unity's Minister of Foreign Affairs @Braze_Baiba met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv to discuss continued support for Ukraine, cooperation in defence, and Ukraine's progress towards EU membership. As Russia continues its attacks on Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky especially thanked Baiba Braže for her visit to Kyiv, stressing that in such circumstances the presence of partners in Ukraine is particularly important. This is a clear demonstration of Latvia's unwavering support for Ukraine. 🇺🇦🇱🇻 Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

When sociologists are asked what primarily worries voters, the classic answer is – the economy. However, the algorithm does not confirm this, because every time I write something about the economy, the popularity of my posts drops several times. Meanwhile, under the next posts, various smart-alecks write: 'When will you finally talk about the economy?' Whether it's just the algorithms or people's real interests is hard to say. But let's try this theory again. So – about the economy. I have been both a taxpayer as a self-employed person and worked in the public sector, so I have some insight from both perspectives. I have also taught social studies in primary and secondary school. Currently, it is a subject that includes economic issues. The quality of teaching these issues largely depends on the teacher, because the content, as usual, contains a lot of superfluous material rather than the essentials. However, I have taught these basics, focusing on the basic economics course – supply and demand relationships, inflation, economic systems, the role of the state in the economy, etc. In my opinion, economics should be a separate subject, because the lack of basic knowledge, at least in the political environment, is striking. The current economic philosophy of governments one after another is essentially none. The logic of scarcity and redistribution prevails, an accounting approach – each party pulls the state budget in its own direction depending on the ministries it gets, and the Ministry of Finance adjusts the 'Excel' spreadsheet. If expenditures grow (and they always grow), then the 'revenue' section is increased. But revenues are encouraged not by stimulating the creation of new value, but by redistributing existing value with ever-increasing taxes. No one has heard of the Laffer curve – there is a moment when an increasing tax burden reduces total tax revenues because taxes become too high. A shadow economy forms, companies are moved abroad or never appear. We are at this point. 'Austošā Saule Latvijai' has its own economic program based on a specific economic philosophy. If political commentators paid attention to it, questions about how ASL differs from others would fall away. No other party has such an ambitious economic reform program. We are aware of how urgently radical changes are needed so that Latvia does not fall further behind the other Baltic states. Cosmetic changes to the existing system or moving individual tax positions by a percentage point here or there will change nothing. A growing economy is the basis of the blood circulation of all other state functions – without it, there will be no fertility promotion measures, no defense, or other essential things. The economy develops in a triangle of relations between the consumer, the producer, and the state. Depending on which of these elements is emphasized, several economic schools can be distinguished. Let's immediately reject the 'Progressive' socialism, which prioritizes the state, as a deficit and stagnation economic theory that failed in the USSR and other countries. Let's mention Keynesianism and the Austrian School of Economics. Keynesianism became very popular in connection with overcoming the Great Depression in the 1930s and the post-war period. Emphasis was placed on the consumer – benefits and employment programs to pump money into the economy, stimulating consumption and the resulting production. John Maynard Keynes believed that in good times the state should save so that in times of crisis this money could be pumped into the economy, smoothing out economic downturns and booms. The goal was to stabilize capitalism. Keynes's ideas remained relevant until the economic crisis of the 1970s in the West. Pumping money into the economy without production growth causes the value of money to fall, i.e., inflation. In the 1970s, this combined with the oil crisis and unemployment. However, Keynesianism has not been completely abandoned – the 'helicopter money' during Covid-19, the massive borrowing and subsequent inflation, is part of this philosophy, only in its degraded form. Keynesianism tends towards political corruption – giving 'stimulus money' to certain politically connected sectors, such as construction or NGOs, is part of this problem. In the 1980s, Keynesianism was overshadowed by the Austrian School of Economics, which is essentially based on classical market economics. Emphasis was placed on the producer – reducing taxes and bureaucracy to stimulate entrepreneurship and revive the economy through the 'supply side.' If the entrepreneur frees up funds, he himself knows better how to invest them in production and employment, and the state avoids the problem of inflation. The policies of Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, and today Javier Milei are based on this philosophy. These ideas face strong opposition from the bureaucracy and political elite, because they entail reducing these sectors. The Austrian School helped the economy develop in the 1980s, but it also has criticism that is worth noting. Emphasizing only entrepreneurship and complete state non-intervention can lead to a tendency to endlessly reduce production costs, for example, using cheaper immigrant labor or moving production to Asian countries. This leads to a decline in local labor income or unemployment, again reducing overall demand and the local market. In a globalized economy, large companies may not have direct problems with this, because one can always find export markets, but it is incompatible with the principle of the common good from a nationalist perspective. ASL is for capitalism in which the interests of both employees and employers are strengthened, promoting overall economic growth. Emphasis is on local consumption and exports. The state's task is to drive economic growth also through tax cuts, so that it provides the greatest possible common good. In our view, both the employee and the employer have one common problem – high labor taxes. For the employee, it means lower wages, fewer chances to buy necessary things for their family, or going into the shadow economy. For the employer, it means fewer opportunities to attract quality local workers, worse competitive conditions compared to Lithuanian and Estonian producers, and a smaller local market due to low incomes. A downward spiral emerges with a shrinking economy, shadow economy, and immigration pressure. ASL plans the largest tax cut in Latvia's history – reducing the employee's social contribution portion by 6%, returning a billion euros from the hands of foreign banks into direct consumption locally. The non-taxable minimum for personal income tax should be increased to the average wage. Both wages and consumption will rise, creating rapid growth-oriented economic development – for the employee, it will mean growing wages, more funds for consumption, and leaving the shadow economy, while for the employer – broader opportunities to attract quality local labor, more favorable tax policy than in the other Baltic states, greater investment, and a wider market due to growing consumption. According to our economist Raimonds Krūmiņš's calculations, this will allow doubling Latvia's economy in eight years, also ensuring other priorities of our program. This plan also entails other related issues, such as changing the municipal financing system, reducing public administration and bureaucracy, but that is another topic. I am convinced that no one else can ensure the state's economic breakthrough, because the 'Excel' logic will continue – accounting talk about redistribution of existing values, not about the economy as a dynamic, growing organism that can be stimulated with bold decisions. For family, nation, and state! FOR THE REBIRTH OF A LATVIAN LATVIA!

State security institutions constantly urge avoiding trips to this country. Not just because there's 'nothing to do'. I believe that was the right decision. Sometimes Latvia has to be the first to do something. Otherwise, it's the 'manganese ore' logic - if others are trading, they won't themselves stop supporting Russia's military industry...

“What drone wall? Drones flew in, but no drone interceptor has been deployed. Although, as far as I know, drone interceptors were already ready and soldier training could have started. For industry, they were ready and tested,” says Defense Minister Raivis Melnis. https://t.co/p9mDE7mfHu

@MinnaBremze @MinnaBremze I was about to reply to you, but then I looked at your X profile. I saw that you defend progressives who don't indicate ethnicity, NGOs, and you love cats very much. That profile also suits "I want to help refugees" pickets, soy latte, and fear of statistics.

@E_Stendzenieks He pulled himself out - the Russian theater and the Belarusian border turn out to be especially important issues. If one focuses on the former 'Saskaņa' electorate, then they probably don't overlap.

Aware of its importance and relevance, work on the Government Ethics Code is actively continuing. https://t.co/8cZUuLvH7M