Jānis Straume

Who is Jānis Straume?

Jānis Straume is a former Latvian politician for For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK. He was the fourth Speaker of the Saeima since 1991.

Straume was a leading member of a number of organisations in the Latvian independence movement, including Helsinki-86, the Latvian National Independence Movement, the Citizens' Congress, and the 18th November Union.

When the 18th November Union merged into For Fatherland and Freedom, he became a member of that party. He served as the Speaker of the Saeima from 1998 to 2002, during the 7th Saeima. He was chairman of the TB/LNNK from 2002 to 2006, during the 8th Saeima, when he was also Deputy Chairman of the Saeima.