New Era Party

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Latvia
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The New Era Party (Jaunais Laiks) is a conservative political party in Latvia.

It was founded in 2001 by Einars Repše. In the 2002 election campaign, New Era promised to combat corruption and tax evasion. According to New Era promises, eliminating tax evasion would increase Latvia's state budget by 400 million lats (about 750 million US dollars), allowing to increase funding for a variety of programs and cut taxes. The New Era program also included right-wing reforms in health care and education, such as replacing government-funded higher education by student loans.

At the legislative elections of 5 October 2002, the party won 23.9% of the popular vote and 26 out of 100 seats, becoming the largest party in Saeima, the parliament of Latvia. It formed a coalition government with 3 other parties, with the New Era leader Einars Repše as the prime minister. In January 2004, the coalition fell apart and Repse resigned.

New Era was in the opposition until October 2004, when it joined a coalition government lead by Aigars Kalvītis of the People’s Party. It left the coalition after a vote-buying scandal in the Jurmala municipal elections which involved one of its coalition partners, the Latvia's First Party. The New Era Party first requested Latvia's First Party to leave the coalition. After Latvia's First Party and prime minister Kalvītis refused this demand, all New Era ministers resigned on April 13, 2006. At the October 2006 parliamentary elections, the New Era won 18 seats. After the elections it did not rejoin the coalition government. Despite its significant losses, it is the largest opposition party.

The chairman of the New Era parliamentary faction is Karlis Sadurskis, former minister for Education and Science.

In the European Parliament, New Era is a part of the European People's Party.