After the parliamentary elections in Latvia, Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins’ liberal-conservative party Jauna Vienotiba (“New Unity”) is ahead in initial forecasts. Based on post-election polls, she could get more than 20 percent of the votes cast. The picture should become clearer as soon as the first projections are available based on the ongoing count in the polling stations.
Karins currently leads a four-way alliance of conservative to right-wing populist parties and forces from the political center. To remain in office, he would again be dependent on coalition partners. It is still unclear which of the previous partners made it into parliament.
Many undecided to the end
19 parties ran for election. There is a five percent hurdle for entering the Saeima. Experts expect a fragmented parliament in the Baltic republic with a minority of Russian origin. Latvia is a neighboring country of Russia. “I voted for a safe and stable Latvia,” Karins said after casting his vote. He showed himself ready to lead the coming government.
There is a five percent hurdle for entry into the Latvian parliament, the Saeima (archive image)
More than every third voter was still undecided or did not want to cast a ballot at all. President Egils Levits therefore called on his compatriots to exercise their right to vote.
How to deal with the Russian minority?
The vote in the Baltic EU and NATO country is overshadowed by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which Latvia sees as a direct threat to national security. This also raised new thorny questions. These include the use of the Russian language, the loyalty of ethnic Russians in Latvia and a debate on the national culture of remembrance. Many citizens in the state with 1.9 million inhabitants are also worried about the sharp rise in energy prices and high inflation.
nob/jj (dpa, afp)
