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SUBJECT Pro-Russia Harmony Party wins most votes in Latvia Parliamentary Election
DATE 2018-10-12
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On October 6th, the pro-Russian Harmony party polled 19.8 percent, winning the most votes in the Latvia general election. Harmony secured 23 seats out of 100-seat Parliament.

 

The populist KPV LV had the second highest vote share at 14 percent, followed by the New Conservative Party which polled 13.6 percent, and the For Development Party with 12 percent.

 

KPV LV and the New Conservatives will each have 16 seats in the Saeima, the Parliament of the Republic of Latvia.

 

The incumbent Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis’ Union of Green and Farmers Party polled 9.9 percent, a result which may put the Prime Minister’s job in jeopardy.

 

Commentators expect tough talks ahead for the Harmony party, as in the past parties have made pacts to keep Harmony out of government.

 

New Conservatives leader Janis Bordans ruled out cooperating with Harmony, calling such cooperation “a red line”.

 

Harmony chairman Nils Ushakovs, the mayor of the capital Riga, argued that without Harmony, no coalition combination that would appear able and stable is possible.

 

The latest election results show the fragmented political scene in Latvia, the country of 2 million. With ethnic Russians composing a quarter of the population, Latvia is a frontline state in tense relationships between Vladimir Putin and Europe, and with NATO. Though Harmony was able to secure most votes with the support of ethnic Russians, forming a functioning coalition would prove an arduous task due to its ties with Moscow.

 

BY MSEAP Cyber Secretariat (mseap@assembly.go.kr)