Lolita Čigāne
{{Short description|Latvian politician}}
{{BLP sources|date=February 2015}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix =
|name = Lolita Čigāne
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|image = Flickr - Saeima - 10.Saeimas deputāte Lolita Čigāne.jpg
|imagesize = 250px
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|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|8|18|df=y}}
|birth_place = Ozolnieki, Latvian SSR
|nationality = {{flagicon|Latvia}} Latvian
|party =
|otherparty = Movement For! (2017–2018)
Unity (2011–2017)
Civic Union (2010–2011)
|spouse = Nils Students
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|alma_mater = Latvian Academy of Culture
Central European University
London School of Economics
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Lolita Čigāne (born 18 August 1973) is an international consultant and policy analyst in elections, good governance, parliamentarianism and anti-corruption, previously a journalist, anti-corruption activist and advocate and a member of parliament. She was first elected to the 10th Saeima (parliament) in 2010. She served a full term as a Member of Parliament in the 11th Saeima (2011–2014), was the parliamentary secretary of the Ministry of Finance in 2013-2014 and a member of 12th Saeima, serving also as the chair of the European Affairs Committee until November 2018. She was the chairperson of the Board of Transparency International Latvia in 2008-2010. Currently she works with organizations such as OSCE, European Commission, NDI,UNDP and others, as well as a visiting lecturer at Stockholm School of Economics in Riga teaching political economy courses. In 2020 - 2023, she worked with OSCE in the leadership of election missions to Croatia, Mongolia, Germany, France, Italy and others. Lolita Cigane is also the author of the book "A woman in power. What politics taught me about the life and myself. Political notes in drawings" published in 2023, (currently available in Latvian) that reflects on her experiences from the time in politics.{{Cite web |title=Sieviete varā. Politiskās piezīmes zīmējumos. Ko politika man iemācīja par dzīvi un sevi |url=https://www.zvaigzne.lv/sieviete-vara-politiskas-piezimes-zimejumos-ko-politika-man-iemacija-par-dzivi-un-sevi.html |access-date=2024-12-17 |website=Zvaigzne ABC |language=lv}}
Early life and education
Čigāne first studied at Ozolnieku Primary school and Jelgava Secondary School No. 2 from 1980 to 1990.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}} She graduated from the Latvian Academy of Culture in 1996 with a BA in International cultural relations, specializing in Swedish language and culture.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}} During her studies she was an exchange student at the University of Vasteras in Sweden.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}} In 2000, Čigāne received a Master of Arts degree from the Central European University (CEU) in Budapest, Hungary in International Relations and European Studies.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}} In 2001, she received a Master of Science degree from London School of Economics (LSE) London, UK with a specialization in International Political Economy.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}}
Professional career
Čigāne worked as a Swedish translator, interpreter and office manager with several Swedish companies and organizations from 1993 to 1997.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}} From 1997 to 1999, she worked at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty as a correspondent and international news analyst in Riga, Latvia and Prague, Czech Republic.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}} From 2001 to 2003, Čigāne worked as the Project Director for election campaign monitoring projects at Soros Foundation Latvia and Transparency International Latvia branch Delna.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}}
From 2004 to 2007, Čigāne worked at the Centre for Public Policy Providus where she managed public policy projects dealing with financing of political parties, conduct of election campaigns and monitoring of the EU structural fund distribution.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}} From 2007 to 2010, she worked as an international consultant with several international organizations.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}} From 2008 to 2010, she was the chairperson of the Board of Transparency International Latvia Chapter Delna.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}}
Political career
Čigāne became a member of the organization Meierovics's society for progressive changes that was established in March 2010 by the former editor-in-chief of the biggest daily Diena Sarmīte Ēlerte in March 2010.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}} In May 2010, members of the organization announced that they would be running in October 2010 parliamentary elections on the list of Unity electoral bloc from the political party Civic Union. Running from the 8th position in Riga constituency, Lolita Čigāne was elected to the 10th Saeima in October 2010.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}} In 2011, the parliament was dissolved by then President Valdis Zatlers, quoting increasing influence of oligarchs in parliamentary decision making.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}}
In early elections of September 2011, Čigāne was seventh on the Unity party list with six members qualifying for election to parliament. She nevertheless served as a Member of Parliament for a full term after the Minister of Finance Andris Vilks took office in November 2011 and suspended his parliamentary mandate.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}} She became the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Finance in the autumn of 2013.{{cite news |title=Čigāne būs FM parlamentārā sekretāre |url=http://www.ziemellatvija.lv/citos-portalos/diena-lv/cigane-bus-fm-parlamentara-sekretare-72301 |access-date=June 9, 2018 |work=Ziemeļlatvija |date=October 16, 2013 |language=lv}}
Čigāne was elected to the 12th Saeima (parliament) on 4 October 2014 and in November 2014 became the chairperson of the European Affairs Committee of Saeima.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}}
Čigāne along with four other MPs (Ilze Viņķele, Ints Dālderis, Andrejs Judins and Aleksejs Loskutovs) left the Unity party in July 2017,{{cite web|url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/politics/politics/five-mps-leave-unity-party.a243665/|title=Five MPs leave Unity party|date=July 18, 2017|publisher=Public Broadcasting of Latvia|access-date=June 9, 2018}} and became a founding member of the Movement For! party.{{cite web|url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/politics/politics/new-latvian-political-party-off-the-ground.a248124/|title=New Latvian political party off the ground|date=August 28, 2017|publisher=Public Broadcasting of Latvia|access-date=June 9, 2018|quote=Five MPs who recently left the Unity party: Ilze Vinkele, Lolita Cigane, Andrejs Judins, Aleksejs Loskutovs and Ints Dalderis are among the party's ranks as their former party's fortunes have hit rock-bottom.}} She left the Movement For! party in April 2018.{{cite news |title=Saeima deputy Lolita Čigāne decides to leave "Kustība Par!" political party |url=http://bnn-news.com/saeima-deputy-lolita-cigane-decides-to-leave-kustiba-par-political-party-182738 |access-date=June 9, 2018 |publisher=Baltic News Network |agency=LETA |date=3 April 2018}}
Other activities
- European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), Member[http://www.ecfr.eu/council/members Members] European Council on Foreign Relations.
- Vice-president, European Movement - Latvia [http://www.eiropaskustiba.lv]
- Vice-chair of the Board, the Isaiah Berlin Association in Latvia [http://www.isaiahberlin.org/lv/about]
- Member of the Board, Civic Alliance - Latvia [https://nvo.lv/en/]
- Member of the Board, Meierovic's Society for Progressive Changes
References
{{Reflist|3}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cigane, Lolita}}
Category:People from Jelgava Municipality
Category:Civic Union (Latvia) politicians
Category:New Unity politicians
Category:Movement For! politicians
Category:Deputies of the 10th Saeima
Category:Deputies of the 11th Saeima
Category:Deputies of the 12th Saeima
Category:21st-century Latvian women politicians