The ‘United List’ Sets a Record in the Saeima Elections — 42 Mandates

After counting about 99% of the votes in the 15th Saeima elections, the ‘United List’ (AS) wins a convincing victory, obtaining 42 parliamentary mandates. This is the best result for a single political force in parliamentary elections in Latvia since the restoration of independence, according to preliminary data from the Central Election Commission (CEC).

In comparison, the ‘Latvian Way’ received 36 seats in the Saeima during the 1993 elections, ‘Unity’ received 33 in 2010, and ‘Harmony’ received 31 mandates in the extraordinary elections of 2011.

At the same time, this election marked another record, but of a different nature: the turnout was the lowest since the restoration of independence. About 51.8% of voters participated in the voting.

The vote counting is nearly complete. At the time of publication, results from 30 postal voting commissions remained to be processed. Additionally, in many polling stations, the counting of the ‘plus’ votes and cross-outs next to the names of individual candidates is still ongoing.

Six Political Forces Enter the Saeima

Preliminary results show that only six parties and associations are entering the 15th Saeima. The Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) remains the first among the political forces that did not overcome the five percent barrier.

The ‘United List’ received 35.3% of the votes.

In second place is ‘Latvia First’ (LPV) with 13.1%, and third is the coalition ‘Sovereign Power/Union of Young Latvians’ (SV/AJ), which received 11.74%.

The National Alliance (NA) is gaining 8.91%, ‘Progressives’ — 7.81%, and ‘New Unity’ (JV) — 6.34%.

With this distribution of votes, AS receives 42 out of 100 seats in parliament, LPV — 17, SV/AJ — 15, the National Alliance — 10, ‘Progressives’ — nine, and ‘New Unity’ — seven.

ZZS Remains Outside the Saeima

Another eight political forces that participated in the elections did not overcome the five percent barrier.

The Union of Greens and Farmers came closest to it — 4.41%. The party ‘We Change the Rules’ receives 3.43%, and ‘For the Development of Latvia’ — 2.18%.

These three political forces, despite not entering the Saeima, will be able to claim state funding as they received more than 2% of the votes.

Literally at this threshold is the party ‘Stability!’ — 1.99%. ‘Rising Sun for Latvia’ gains 1.33%, ‘Gobzem’s List’ — 0.98%, ‘Center of Harmony’ — 0.82%, and the New Conservative Party — 0.33%.

Thus, if the preliminary distribution of mandates remains after the counting is completed, the new Saeima will consist of only six political forces, with the ‘United List’ holding 42% of the parliamentary seats. However, it still lacks nine mandates for an independent majority.