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| Nils Usakovs, Mayor of Riga, Aims to Move Beyond Ethnic Politics | Nils Usakovs, Mayor of Riga, Aims to Move Beyond Ethnic Politics |
| (6 days later) | |
| RIGA, Latvia — Nils Usakovs smiled a bit uncertainly as the three tap-dancing elves in Santa caps pointed from tree to tree in the cold, vaporous forest on the capital’s outskirts. | |
| “Pick this one,” shouted one elf. “No, this one,” yelled another. They tapped away on square platforms sunk into a carpet of slushy, spongy leaves, while news crews huddled around a blazing wood fire. | “Pick this one,” shouted one elf. “No, this one,” yelled another. They tapped away on square platforms sunk into a carpet of slushy, spongy leaves, while news crews huddled around a blazing wood fire. |
| Mr. Usakovs, 38, the first ethnic Russian to be elected mayor of Riga, made a show of studiously marching around two nearly perfect pines. Finally, he declared that one of them would become the official tree on the square outside the main cathedral while the other would adorn the Riga riverfront. | Mr. Usakovs, 38, the first ethnic Russian to be elected mayor of Riga, made a show of studiously marching around two nearly perfect pines. Finally, he declared that one of them would become the official tree on the square outside the main cathedral while the other would adorn the Riga riverfront. |
| “We make it a show,” Mr. Usakovs said afterward. “It helps to give the city a sense of identity.” | “We make it a show,” Mr. Usakovs said afterward. “It helps to give the city a sense of identity.” |
| A sense of identity is precisely at the core of Latvia’s — and Mr. Usakovs’s — predicament at the moment. | A sense of identity is precisely at the core of Latvia’s — and Mr. Usakovs’s — predicament at the moment. |
| In 2005, Mr. Usakovs, a former television personality and newspaper editor, took control of Harmony Center, the largest party advocating the rights of Latvia’s ethnic Russian minority. | In 2005, Mr. Usakovs, a former television personality and newspaper editor, took control of Harmony Center, the largest party advocating the rights of Latvia’s ethnic Russian minority. |
| Russian ethnicity is a sensitive subject here in one of the former Soviet republics, which, with its small standing army, feels perpetually vulnerable to its powerful neighbor — especially at a time when protecting Ukraine’s sizable Russian minority has been used by Russia as a pretext for meddling in that country’s conflict. | Russian ethnicity is a sensitive subject here in one of the former Soviet republics, which, with its small standing army, feels perpetually vulnerable to its powerful neighbor — especially at a time when protecting Ukraine’s sizable Russian minority has been used by Russia as a pretext for meddling in that country’s conflict. |
| Latvia’s population is about 61 percent Latvian and 26 percent Russian, with a small scattering of Poles, Ukrainians, Belarussians and others. Ethnic Russians, even those born in Latvia, like Mr. Usakovs, were not automatically made citizens when the country became independent of Russia in 1991. Today, about 300,000 ethnic Russians living in Latvia are still not citizens, including Mr. Usakovs’s mother. | |
| On taking the reins, Mr. Usakovs announced that Harmony would no longer be an ethnically driven party but a social democratic one, like others across Europe. Other parties, whose voters are overwhelmingly of Latvian ethnic origin, have viewed his declaration with stubborn skepticism. | On taking the reins, Mr. Usakovs announced that Harmony would no longer be an ethnically driven party but a social democratic one, like others across Europe. Other parties, whose voters are overwhelmingly of Latvian ethnic origin, have viewed his declaration with stubborn skepticism. |
| “We don’t talk about ethnic issues,” Mr. Usakovs insisted. “I believe that, in the long run, the politics in our city and our country needs to be based on ideological values, not ethnicity.” | “We don’t talk about ethnic issues,” Mr. Usakovs insisted. “I believe that, in the long run, the politics in our city and our country needs to be based on ideological values, not ethnicity.” |
| While the majority of Harmony’s voters are still ethnic Russians, he said, the number of its Latvian supporters has been growing. In this year’s elections, when Mr. Usakovs won a second term as mayor, the party got 20 percent of its support from Latvians, he said. | While the majority of Harmony’s voters are still ethnic Russians, he said, the number of its Latvian supporters has been growing. In this year’s elections, when Mr. Usakovs won a second term as mayor, the party got 20 percent of its support from Latvians, he said. |
| This is proof, he said, that Harmony’s message of taking Latvia beyond ethnic politics is resonating with voters — even as tensions between Latvia and Russia are rising. | This is proof, he said, that Harmony’s message of taking Latvia beyond ethnic politics is resonating with voters — even as tensions between Latvia and Russia are rising. |
| Skepticism persists, though, about whether Harmony can actually make the leap. | Skepticism persists, though, about whether Harmony can actually make the leap. |
| “I don’t know,” said Andris Ameriks, Riga’s vice mayor and a member of a small, city-based party called I’m Proud to Serve Riga. “They say they are social democrats. Mostly, though, it’s still another ethnic party for the Russians.” | “I don’t know,” said Andris Ameriks, Riga’s vice mayor and a member of a small, city-based party called I’m Proud to Serve Riga. “They say they are social democrats. Mostly, though, it’s still another ethnic party for the Russians.” |
| Mr. Usakovs’s Russian-born parents were brought to Latvia as children shortly after World War II, part of a migration of Russians into regions that had been absorbed into the Soviet Union. | Mr. Usakovs’s Russian-born parents were brought to Latvia as children shortly after World War II, part of a migration of Russians into regions that had been absorbed into the Soviet Union. |
| He was raised speaking Russian, and his elementary schooling was in Russian. Not until he was 16 did he learn to speak Latvian, he said, partly so he could take classes at the University of Latvia, where he majored in analytical economics. | He was raised speaking Russian, and his elementary schooling was in Russian. Not until he was 16 did he learn to speak Latvian, he said, partly so he could take classes at the University of Latvia, where he majored in analytical economics. |
| In 1999, when he graduated from college, Mr. Usakovs went through the naturalization process, which involves passing a test on Latvian history, demonstrating a proficiency in the Latvian language and taking an oath of allegiance to the country. | In 1999, when he graduated from college, Mr. Usakovs went through the naturalization process, which involves passing a test on Latvian history, demonstrating a proficiency in the Latvian language and taking an oath of allegiance to the country. |
| Fast on his feet and deeply interested in social policy issues, he took a job as a producer for the Baltic division of the Russian television channel NTV, then moved to Latvian Public Television before becoming an editor at two Riga newspapers, the host of his own weekly television program and, finally, the editor at the First Baltic Channel for the evening news in Lithuania and Estonia. | Fast on his feet and deeply interested in social policy issues, he took a job as a producer for the Baltic division of the Russian television channel NTV, then moved to Latvian Public Television before becoming an editor at two Riga newspapers, the host of his own weekly television program and, finally, the editor at the First Baltic Channel for the evening news in Lithuania and Estonia. |
| But the deeper he got into political reporting, the more persistent was the itch to become a politician. | But the deeper he got into political reporting, the more persistent was the itch to become a politician. |
| When the leaders of the struggling Harmony Center, stuck in seemingly permanent minority status, asked the telegenic young Russian — so unlike the aged and dour leaders the party had before — to assume control in 2005, he jumped at it. | When the leaders of the struggling Harmony Center, stuck in seemingly permanent minority status, asked the telegenic young Russian — so unlike the aged and dour leaders the party had before — to assume control in 2005, he jumped at it. |
| “If you believe some things are being done wrong, what do you do?” he asked. “You can stay in journalism and try to address them through education, or you go into politics.” | “If you believe some things are being done wrong, what do you do?” he asked. “You can stay in journalism and try to address them through education, or you go into politics.” |
| HE makes no secret of his desire for higher, national office, something that would be quite difficult if his party remained rooted in its Russian-ethnic base. It is not an easy path for him. He can, and has, spoken in favor of maintaining Ukraine’s territorial integrity, a move that he believes cost him some votes among his hard-core base. But he also came out strongly against Western sanctions on Russia over the conflict. | HE makes no secret of his desire for higher, national office, something that would be quite difficult if his party remained rooted in its Russian-ethnic base. It is not an easy path for him. He can, and has, spoken in favor of maintaining Ukraine’s territorial integrity, a move that he believes cost him some votes among his hard-core base. But he also came out strongly against Western sanctions on Russia over the conflict. |
| “We are not alone,” Mr. Usakovs said. “We are among the Europeans who believe that sanctions will not work. And we are rational. We believe it is beneficial for us to have good relations with Russia.” | “We are not alone,” Mr. Usakovs said. “We are among the Europeans who believe that sanctions will not work. And we are rational. We believe it is beneficial for us to have good relations with Russia.” |
| Whether he can find a way to satisfy his base, many of whom are fiercely pro-Russian, while attracting enough Latvians to the party, is the key to his future. | Whether he can find a way to satisfy his base, many of whom are fiercely pro-Russian, while attracting enough Latvians to the party, is the key to his future. |
| Ethnic integration is still “too big a divide” in Latvia, said Douglas Wake, an American former diplomat who was a visiting fellow at the Latvian Institute of International Affairs. There is still “not enough sense that everybody feels there is a Latvian state one can feel good about, offering allegiance without any ethnic characteristics whatsoever,” he said during a presentation at the institute last month. | Ethnic integration is still “too big a divide” in Latvia, said Douglas Wake, an American former diplomat who was a visiting fellow at the Latvian Institute of International Affairs. There is still “not enough sense that everybody feels there is a Latvian state one can feel good about, offering allegiance without any ethnic characteristics whatsoever,” he said during a presentation at the institute last month. |
| Still, there is very little open conflict in everyday life between Latvian speakers and Russian speakers, leading some to wonder whether it is the political class that is keeping the divide from closing. | |
| “People are not fighting,” said Karlis Bukovskis, the institute’s deputy director, in an interview. “About 35 percent of marriages are mixed. Sometimes, perhaps, some politicians use it opportunistically.” | “People are not fighting,” said Karlis Bukovskis, the institute’s deputy director, in an interview. “About 35 percent of marriages are mixed. Sometimes, perhaps, some politicians use it opportunistically.” |
| Indeed, just last month, Mr. Usakovs married his longtime chief of staff, Iveta Strautina, an ethnic Latvian. | Indeed, just last month, Mr. Usakovs married his longtime chief of staff, Iveta Strautina, an ethnic Latvian. |
| Both Mr. Bukovskis and Mr. Wake mentioned the “two information societies” that exist in Latvia, in which Russian speakers get their news from Russia-based media outlets while Latvians get theirs from Latvian ones, each offering a different spin on the Ukraine crisis. The result is conflicting opinions about who is at fault there. | Both Mr. Bukovskis and Mr. Wake mentioned the “two information societies” that exist in Latvia, in which Russian speakers get their news from Russia-based media outlets while Latvians get theirs from Latvian ones, each offering a different spin on the Ukraine crisis. The result is conflicting opinions about who is at fault there. |
| The reality, Mr. Usakovs said, is a bit more complex. Both populations, he said, are awash in Russian culture. “And when I say culture, I don’t mean Dostoyevsky,” he said. “I mean pop culture.” | The reality, Mr. Usakovs said, is a bit more complex. Both populations, he said, are awash in Russian culture. “And when I say culture, I don’t mean Dostoyevsky,” he said. “I mean pop culture.” |
| And there is far from unanimity, even among ethnic Russians, on the subject of Ukraine, he said. “Society is split in general, and Russian speakers are also split,” he said. | And there is far from unanimity, even among ethnic Russians, on the subject of Ukraine, he said. “Society is split in general, and Russian speakers are also split,” he said. |
| A thin morning fog had given way to a golden haze by the time Mr. Usakovs had finished picking the Christmas trees and begun to make his way through the loamy woods of the Riga Forest — 160,000 acres of pine and marshland given to the city by Bishop Albert, who founded Riga in 1201. The scent of the nearby sea was in the crystalline air. | A thin morning fog had given way to a golden haze by the time Mr. Usakovs had finished picking the Christmas trees and begun to make his way through the loamy woods of the Riga Forest — 160,000 acres of pine and marshland given to the city by Bishop Albert, who founded Riga in 1201. The scent of the nearby sea was in the crystalline air. |
| “We are going through a complete transformation in a country that is multilinguistic and multiethnic with debates about very serious historical issues,” he said. “It is complicated.” | “We are going through a complete transformation in a country that is multilinguistic and multiethnic with debates about very serious historical issues,” he said. “It is complicated.” |