A coalition agreement

Social Democratic Workers Party (LSDSP) Chairman Dainis Ivans and National Harmony Party (TSP) Chairman Janis Jurkans on 13 March signed a coalition agreement for work in the Riga City Council. Following his election as LSDSP chairman in November, Ivans expressed dissatisfaction with the party's coalition in Riga with For Human Rights in a United Latvia (PCTVL) -- in particular with two of the PCTVL's three members, the Equal Rights party and the Socialist Party. He supported forming a coalition with the TSP, a scenario that became possible after the TSP withdrew from the PCTVL last month. The LSDSP has 17 seats and the TSP six seats on the 60-member City Council. The new coalition is expected to muster majorities through cooperation with the union of small parties Centrs, which holds seven seats, and with two members of the Green Party.