Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs’ United List won 35.4 percent of the vote and 42 seats in Latvia’s 100-seat parliament, with more than 99.9 percent of ballots counted. Kulbergs called Latvia “the external border of Europe” and said it needed “a strong economy” and “a strong border region.”
A border at the centre of the campaign
The preliminary result gives the centre-right party a record number of seats in the former Soviet republic’s post-independence history, local media reported. State television reported its 35.4 percent share. The result points to a continued pro-European and pro-Ukrainian course, even as populist parties gained support.
“Because we are the external border of Europe, we must have a strong economy... a strong border region,” Kulbergs said. “That is the main task.” The campaign account reported no specific migration-policy proposals, but recorded Kulbergs tying Latvia’s place on Europe’s external border to the need for a strong economy and border region.
Latvia has belonged to NATO and the European Union since 2004. It considers Russia its main security threat and has sharply increased defence spending in response. Security remained at the heart of the election campaign during the fifth year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Populists gain support
Populist parties did well in a campaign shaped by concerns about neighbouring Russia and the cost of living. Both appeared to benefit from changed voting patterns among Russian speakers, who make up a third of Latvia’s population. That support doesn’t form a single political bloc: the article describes changing voting patterns and names two parties that gained from them.
Latvia First, a conservative party run by a property magnate often compared with US President Donald Trump, looked set to finish second. Sovereign Power, which opposes military aid to Ukraine and further increases in defence spending, looked set to finish third after campaigning on the cost of living. Critics have called Sovereign Power pro-Russian, and most major parties have ruled out working with it.
Russian-speaking voters had long rallied behind Harmony, a party widely seen as pro-Russia that was once the country’s largest. Harmony’s support collapsed in the election held shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and voters removed it from parliament.
Cost of living and coalition uncertainty
Rising living costs, low wages, a strained healthcare system and long-term population decline featured prominently in campaign debates. Kulbergs said the result exceeded expectations and matched the lead shown in exit polls. “That means people truly want change,” he said, describing it as “economic growth” and “a future for (Latvia’s) children.”
Most parties expected to enter parliament support high military spending and continued aid to Kyiv. Sovereign Power is the exception. Kulbergs became prime minister in May, but his pre-election coalition isn’t expected to survive in its current form: one member looked set to lose its seats, while others did worse than hoped. The final coalition picture remains unsettled, with the preliminary count giving United List 42 seats.