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The People's Party's wish to leave the coalition may be inferred from its recent announcements and action: the party's seminar, where they openly discussed the possibility of the lat's devaluation, the refusal to support tax hikes prepared by New Era, and conflict over the healthcare system. On Thursday, after the Saeima [parliament] scandal, the party's chairman actually ignored the coalition agreement, sending Culture Minister Ints Dalderis to the important consultations on budget formation. Judging by the announcements made by party faction leader Vineta Muizniece, one may conclude that the party is not going to decide to leave the coalition, meanwhile it is not going to back off in the conflict over Rugate. The question has been repeatedly brought up for discussion by the coalition on Monday [ 14 September]. Nobody can foresee the result, though. The Orange Party [People's Party] has repeatedly emptied the credit of its partners' patience and now, with the deputy speaker issue, they have actually been set an ultimatum - either to stop showing off and play according to the rules, or leave. According to unofficial information, New Era is already holding consultations with the LPP/LC [Latvia's First Party] to get their support in case the People's Party undertakes an irreversible demarche.

Now after the People's Party's meeting with New Era, Mr [Kalvitis] made a statement to the effect that at the president's initiative, the new government would not include [Andris Skele] or Einars Repse. The idea that the two former prime ministers, who are persons worthy of attention, would possibly be unable to work together was mentioned as the main argument. And the president precisely mentioned the ability to work constructively and not [to have] various political intrigues as the main argument to the new government.

The founder of the People's Party [third largest in parliament] and its former leader, Andris Skele, today [16 January] gave up his seat in the Saeima [parliament]. In his speech, Skele thanks all his political contemporaries, including rivals. Political experts believe that Skele's departure from active politics also means changes in his party... [Correspondent] When the Saeima chairwoman, Ingrida Udre, gives the floor to Andris Skele, tense attention can be felt in the Saeima hall for plenary sessions. Starting his address, the former head of the People's Party, Andris Skele, said he was addressing the deputies from the rostrum for the last time.

[Presenter] The former leader of the People's Party, Andris Skele, has announced that in January next year he is giving up his Saeima [parliament] deputy's mandate. Skele gave as his reason the maturing of the party, which does not require his presence. Several politicians acknowledge that at the moment the People's Party is in an unenviable situation, and Skele's departure will mean the beginning of the end for the party.

In his speech on Saturday, [Andris Skele] himself reminded us that he said at the last party congress 18 months ago that the party should seek out a new candidate for prime minister [the TP has always said that its leader is automatically its candidate for prime minister]. Before this autumn's election, the party's inner circles were talking about possible candidates such as [former Interior Minister Aigars] Kalvitis and [former Agriculture Minister Atis] Slakteris. The latter man is now taking over the party's leadership. The aim was to find someone who would not frighten the expected winner of the election - [New Era leader Einars] Repse - to the point of paralysis, as Skele does. In that case, the party might be given a chance to take part in the formation of the government. In a debate with Skele which was organized by Diena shortly before the election, Repse, too, said that cooperation of this kind might be possible, but only if the TP \"cleansed itself\" first. He added that it should \"also get rid of you in specific, Mr Skele\". Skele's enormous efficiency in managing the affairs of the state has also promoted the emergence of corporative behaviour in Latvia's politics. True decisions are taken by a narrow circle of individuals. The decision of Skele to refuse to stand for re- election as party chairman is an example of this. In advance, only a few people from the \"inner circles\" knew about it. One can admire the fact that under seemingly hopeless political circumstances, he got the TP and Latvia's Way to make the absolutely necessary amendments to the Latvian election law [limitations related to the language skills of candidates were removed] - those that were the last requirement for Latvia's invitation to join NATO. At the same time, it seems that some of the methods which Skele used to reach this goal (at a pre-election conference Skele said that he would describe these in his \"memoirs\") were just as unacceptable as was the infamous agreement between Skele and [Ventspils mayor Aivars] Lembergs on \"bringing order to the business environment\" - even if the goal was a noble one. The situation was different from the one that involved the sale of the Latvian Shipping Company for a song but in a way that was by no means disadvantageous for those who set up the deal.

It has already been reported that the long-time leader of the People's Party, Andris Skele, today announced that he would not be standing for the post of party leader; Skele proposed Slakteris as his successor in the post.

Mr [Andris Skele] feels weak: no new ideas, no fresh slogans. Even his economic reflections do not touch anybody because they smell like the dust of the previous People's Party's programmes. The games inside the coalition irritate voters and, which is even worse, they create the oriole of a martyr above Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis' head and the Orange party wants to either crucify or sell him. In this situation, Skele does not have any other choice but to look for Lembergs' support and, quite naturally, that of the Union of Greens and Farmers.

Consultations held on 11 October between New Era and the People's Party, which came first and third respectively in the Latvian general election on 5 October, ended in strong acrimony between their leaders, Einars Repse and Andris Skele, and a failure to agree on including the People's Party in the coming coalition. The People's Party, evidently destined for opposition, will, however, back the appointment of New Era leader Repse as prime minister, while three other right-wing parties will join the cabinet. Following is the text of a report in English by Baltic news agency BNS on 11 October; subheadings inserted editorially: Repse noted on several occasions that People's Party is already working as an opposition party and said at the close of the talks that, although he had the desirable model of the new government formed before consultations with the People's Party, it has become completely clear after the talks that New Era is not ready to cooperate with the People's Party. Skele meanwhile launched the talks by saying the priority of the People's Party is a \"stable long-term government\" which, Skele believes, can be formed by both the largest right-wing forces plus a third right-wing party.

People's Party leader Andris Skele, who is three-times ex-prime minister, told BNS the People's Party has experience of working both in opposition and in the ruling coalition and voiced readiness to work in \"constructive opposition\" in the new cabinet. Skele said the People's Party, most likely, will not interfere with the ongoing government forming process. \"I don't think we will interfere with the New Era's government forming process; if they are so eager, let it be,\" said Skele.

Grinblats said the coalition decision would be reported to the Social Democrats on Tuesday [13 March] and all depends on whether they would be willing to form a ruling coalition with all three governing parties - FF-LNNK, Latvia's Way and the People's Party. FF- LNNK also reported to the government coalition about its candidate for Riga mayor, Andris Argalis, which will be discussed by boards of the other two coalition parties. At the coalition council meeting, People's Party leader Andris Skele said, though, that the Social Democrats' proposal for Riga mayor should also be seen. \"The Social Democrat candidate for Riga mayor could be so strong it would be difficult to object to it,\" said Grinblats.