Latvian Russian Union
The Latvian Russian Union (LRU, Latvian: Latvijas Krievu savienība, Russian: Русский союз Латвии, romanized: Russkiy soyuz Latvii) (LKS) is a political party in Latvia supported mainly by ethnic Russians and other Russian-speaking minorities. The co-chairpersons of the Latvian Russian Union are Miroslavs Mitrofanovs and an alleged Russian agent Tatjana Ždanoka.
Latvian Russian Union Latvijas Krievu savienība Русский союз Латвии | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | LKS (Latvian) РСЛ (Russian) |
| Co-chairpersons | Tatjana Ždanoka Miroslavs Mitrofanovs |
| Founded | 3 August 1998 (ForHRUL alliance) 19 May 2007 (party) 18 January 2014 (LKS/РСЛ) |
| Merger of | Equal Rights Free Choice in People's Europe |
| Headquarters | Riga, Rūpniecības iela 9, LV 1010 |
| Membership (2023) | 653 |
| Ideology | Russian minority politics Russophilia |
| Colours | Blue Red |
| Saeima | 0 / 100 |
| European Parliament | 1 / 8 |
| Riga City Council | 3 / 60 |
| Website | |
| rusojuz.lv | |
The party emphasizes issues important to the Russian minority in Latvia. It requests the granting of Latvian citizenship to all of Latvia's remaining non-citizens and supports Russian and Latgalian as co-official languages in municipalities where at least 20% of the population are native speakers of such a language. It supports stronger ties with both Russia and the European Union, and was the only major political organization to oppose Latvia's membership in NATO.