RIGA: Latvia’s pro-European Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs has won a commanding victory in the country’s parliamentary election, securing a mandate to continue his government’s firm support for the European Union and Ukraine, according to Hurriyet Daily News.
Kulbergs’ centre-right United List won 42 of the 100 seats in parliament, an unprecedented result in Latvia’s post-independence political history. The outcome gives him a strong position from which to begin coalition talks, although he will need new partners after one party in his previous alliance failed to cross the five per cent threshold needed to enter parliament.
The election was fought against the backdrop of anxiety over neighbouring Russia, rising living costs and wider social concerns. While Kulbergs’ party dominated the result, populist movements also made gains, drawing support in part from Latvia’s Russian-speaking minority.
Speaking after exit polls pointed to his party’s sweeping success, Kulbergs said the result exceeded his expectations. “That means people truly want change,” he said, describing that change as economic growth and a secure future for Latvia’s children.
Kulbergs, a former manager in the telecommunications and automotive industries, became prime minister in May at the head of a centre-right coalition. His victory now allows him to pursue the pro-European and pro-Ukrainian policies that have defined his government.
The election also revealed a strong current of populist sentiment. Latvia First, a conservative party led by a property magnate often compared to US President Donald Trump, finished second with 17 seats. The right-wing Sovereign Power party was on course for third place with 15 seats after campaigning heavily on the cost of living.
Sovereign Power has opposed military aid to Ukraine and further increases in defence spending, positions that place it at odds with the governing mainstream. Its strong showing underlines the political tensions in a country that shares a border with Russia and remains highly alert to regional security threats.
For Kulbergs, the task now is to translate an exceptional electoral result into a stable coalition. His success suggests that many Latvian voters want continuity in foreign policy, even as economic pressures and populist appeals reshape the country’s political landscape.
