Latvian MP steps down from ruling Unity party after tweeting praise for the Nazis' murdering of gay people

Inga Priede was formerly a member of Latvia’s ruling party Unity

Inga Priede has been forced to resign over her Twitter comments claiming the Nazis were right to kill gay people.

Priede, who was formerly a member of Latvia’s ruling party, Unity, seemingly praised the Nazis for exterminating members of the gay community.

She made the remarks earlier this week in reference to the possible legalisation of same-sex partnerships in Latvia. Homosexuality was only legalised in the country in 1992.

The MP wrote that some Latvian residents were “in shock” about the possibility introduction of same-sex marriage legislation and added that homosexuals living in these rural regions were “not proud” of their sexuality because “there are basic values”.

According to a translation by New York Observer, she went on to tweet: “Thank God! The Germans shot them in their time. Birth rate was going up.”

Priede first denied having shared the tweets, deleted them and then stepped down from her position and apologised.

Unity’s leader Solvita Aboltina firmly asserted that Priede’s comments do not reflect the party’s standing on the issue.

“These statements definitely do not represent Unity’s point of view and contradict it,” Aboltina said.

Latvian welfare minister Ilze Viņķele described the remarks as “absolutely unacceptable”.

“Her later attempts to say she didn’t write these criminal things or that she had been misunderstood prove that Ms. Priede is not a brave person and does not take responsibility for her words,” said Viņķele, according to Mig news website.