Latvia Parliamentary Election: PM Kulbergs' United List Wins Historic Victory With 41 Seats
According to Reuters and France's Le Monde, Latvia held elections to its parliament, the Saeima, on Saturday, October 3, with polling stations open nationwide including in the capital, Riga. Results showed the centre-right United List, led by incumbent Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs, winning about 35.8 percent of the vote and 41 of the 100 seats — the best result ever achieved by a single party since the Baltic state restored independence in 1991.
Figures released by Latvia's Central Electoral Commission put total ballots at about 806,641, for a turnout of roughly 51.8 percent. Latvia First finished second with about 13.3 percent and 17 seats, followed by the Sovereign Power–Alliance of Young Latvians with about 11.9 percent and 15 seats. The National Alliance and the Progressives won 10 seats each and New Unity seven, with six lists in total clearing the 5 percent threshold.
Kulbergs, who became prime minister only in May, campaigned on continued support for Ukraine, stronger defence preparedness, cutting red tape and reviving economic growth. Le Monde reported that on election night he called the result higher than expected and ruled out alliances with parties he described as a threat to state security. With United List 10 seats short of the 51 needed for a majority, he must negotiate with one or two partners, and talks are expected to start with existing partners such as the National Alliance and New Unity.
Analysts noted that although pro-Russian parties increased their representation, they remain sidelined from government talks, and Latvia's pro-European, pro-Ukrainian course is expected to continue. The new parliament is scheduled to meet on November 3, and President Edgars Rinkevics will nominate a candidate to form the government.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Ralf Roletschek / CC BY-SA 3.0 AT (Saeima House, Riga)
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：里加拉脱维亚议会（Saeima）大楼。摄影：Ralf Roletschek，CC BY-SA 3.0 AT，来源：Wikimedia Commons
