Ars Moriendi
10-06-2014, 03:30 AM
Pro-Russian party takes biggest vote share in Latvian elections
By Richard Milne, Nordic and Baltic Correspondent
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/fba58d3a-4c5f-11e4-a0d7-00144feab7de.html#axzz3FKciRS9t
http://im.ft-static.com/content/images/da4c419e-703d-463a-a443-44fe04cd0301.img
Latvia’s ruling centre-right coalition is set to continue in office despite a pro-Russian party (http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/cd235fce-48b2-11e4-9d04-00144feab7de,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=htt p%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2Fcd235fce-48b2-11e4-9d04-00144feab7de.html%3Fsiteedition%3Dintl&siteedition=intl&_i_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fintl%2Fcms%2F s%2F0%2Ffba58d3a-4c5f-11e4-a0d7-00144feab7de.html#axzz3FKciRS9t) linked to Vladimir Putin’s United Russia group claiming first place in parliamentary elections.
In a vote that took place amid intense concerns over Russia’s intentions in Latvia (http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/9d016276-43c3-11e4-baa7-00144feabdc0,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=htt p%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2F9d016276-43c3-11e4-baa7-00144feabdc0.html%3Fsiteedition%3Dintl&siteedition=intl&_i_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fintl%2Fcms%2F s%2F0%2Ffba58d3a-4c5f-11e4-a0d7-00144feab7de.html#axzz3FKciRS9t) and the Baltics following intervention in parts of Ukraine, the three parties currently in government gained 61 of the 100 seats in parliament.
But Harmony, a centre-left group that has a formal co-operation agreement with United Russia, took the largest share of the vote with 23.1 per cent securing 24 seats, down from 31 after the 2011 elections.
The results underline the deep divisions in Latvia, which has an ethnic Russian minority (http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/562950b0-b661-11e3-b230-00144feabdc0,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=htt p%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2F562950b0-b661-11e3-b230-00144feabdc0.html%3Fsiteedition%3Dintl&siteedition=intl&_i_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fintl%2Fcms%2F s%2F0%2Ffba58d3a-4c5f-11e4-a0d7-00144feab7de.html#axzz3FKciRS9t) of more than a quarter of its population.
Nils Usakovs, the ethnic Russian leader of Harmony, said Latvia’s president should entrust his party, as the winner of the election, with forming a government. But Andris Berzins, the president, said this would be pointless because the party would be unable to form a coalition that could command a majority in parliament.
He told the parties to conclude coalition talks within one week because a government needs to be in place before Latvia takes over the revolving presidency of the EU in January.
The present coalition parties – Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma’s Unity, the Union of Greens and Farmers and the National Alliance – all received higher shares of the vote than in 2011, with 21.8 per cent, 19.6 per cent and 16.6 per cent respectively.
They said they should continue in government, although it is uncertain whether the technocrat Ms Straujuma will remain prime minister.
The parties, which share a pro-European and pro-Nato outlook, were predominantly elected by ethnic Latvians.
“The only salient cleavage in Latvia is ethnicity: that is the basic divide. Latvia in terms of politics is entirely ideology free,” said Daunis Auers, an academic at the University of Latvia.
Underlying the divisions, Harmony won in both the capital Riga – where Mr Usakovs is mayor – and the eastern Latgale region, which borders Russia. But it lost support in both strongholds, recording a quarter fewer votes in Latgale than in 2011.
Concern about Harmony runs high among ethnic Latvians. Mr Usakovs’ comment during the election campaign that Mr Putin was “the best thing we can have at the moment” attracted criticism from other parties, while its co-operation agreements with United Russia and the Chinese Communist party are viewed sceptically.
“There is a huge amount of distrust of Usakovs and Harmony. This is based on a sort of primordial belief that Latvia should be governed by Latvians and the Russophones in the population have no legitimacy to govern,” said Mr Auers.
Turnout was 58.8 per cent, the lowest since Latvia regained its independence more than two decades ago, despite expectations that fears Russia could turn its attention to the Baltics would boost participation.
Harmony was excluded from government in 2011 despite winning the largest vote share, and most of Latvia’s elite believes it should remain shut out of power until it renounces ties with Mr Putin’s party and condemns Russian aggression in Ukraine.
But some Latvian officials believe that bringing the professional and slick Mr Usakovs into government would be the best way of easing the ethnic divisions in the country.
By Richard Milne, Nordic and Baltic Correspondent
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/fba58d3a-4c5f-11e4-a0d7-00144feab7de.html#axzz3FKciRS9t
http://im.ft-static.com/content/images/da4c419e-703d-463a-a443-44fe04cd0301.img
Latvia’s ruling centre-right coalition is set to continue in office despite a pro-Russian party (http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/cd235fce-48b2-11e4-9d04-00144feab7de,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=htt p%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2Fcd235fce-48b2-11e4-9d04-00144feab7de.html%3Fsiteedition%3Dintl&siteedition=intl&_i_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fintl%2Fcms%2F s%2F0%2Ffba58d3a-4c5f-11e4-a0d7-00144feab7de.html#axzz3FKciRS9t) linked to Vladimir Putin’s United Russia group claiming first place in parliamentary elections.
In a vote that took place amid intense concerns over Russia’s intentions in Latvia (http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/9d016276-43c3-11e4-baa7-00144feabdc0,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=htt p%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2F9d016276-43c3-11e4-baa7-00144feabdc0.html%3Fsiteedition%3Dintl&siteedition=intl&_i_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fintl%2Fcms%2F s%2F0%2Ffba58d3a-4c5f-11e4-a0d7-00144feab7de.html#axzz3FKciRS9t) and the Baltics following intervention in parts of Ukraine, the three parties currently in government gained 61 of the 100 seats in parliament.
But Harmony, a centre-left group that has a formal co-operation agreement with United Russia, took the largest share of the vote with 23.1 per cent securing 24 seats, down from 31 after the 2011 elections.
The results underline the deep divisions in Latvia, which has an ethnic Russian minority (http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/562950b0-b661-11e3-b230-00144feabdc0,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=htt p%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2F562950b0-b661-11e3-b230-00144feabdc0.html%3Fsiteedition%3Dintl&siteedition=intl&_i_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fintl%2Fcms%2F s%2F0%2Ffba58d3a-4c5f-11e4-a0d7-00144feab7de.html#axzz3FKciRS9t) of more than a quarter of its population.
Nils Usakovs, the ethnic Russian leader of Harmony, said Latvia’s president should entrust his party, as the winner of the election, with forming a government. But Andris Berzins, the president, said this would be pointless because the party would be unable to form a coalition that could command a majority in parliament.
He told the parties to conclude coalition talks within one week because a government needs to be in place before Latvia takes over the revolving presidency of the EU in January.
The present coalition parties – Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma’s Unity, the Union of Greens and Farmers and the National Alliance – all received higher shares of the vote than in 2011, with 21.8 per cent, 19.6 per cent and 16.6 per cent respectively.
They said they should continue in government, although it is uncertain whether the technocrat Ms Straujuma will remain prime minister.
The parties, which share a pro-European and pro-Nato outlook, were predominantly elected by ethnic Latvians.
“The only salient cleavage in Latvia is ethnicity: that is the basic divide. Latvia in terms of politics is entirely ideology free,” said Daunis Auers, an academic at the University of Latvia.
Underlying the divisions, Harmony won in both the capital Riga – where Mr Usakovs is mayor – and the eastern Latgale region, which borders Russia. But it lost support in both strongholds, recording a quarter fewer votes in Latgale than in 2011.
Concern about Harmony runs high among ethnic Latvians. Mr Usakovs’ comment during the election campaign that Mr Putin was “the best thing we can have at the moment” attracted criticism from other parties, while its co-operation agreements with United Russia and the Chinese Communist party are viewed sceptically.
“There is a huge amount of distrust of Usakovs and Harmony. This is based on a sort of primordial belief that Latvia should be governed by Latvians and the Russophones in the population have no legitimacy to govern,” said Mr Auers.
Turnout was 58.8 per cent, the lowest since Latvia regained its independence more than two decades ago, despite expectations that fears Russia could turn its attention to the Baltics would boost participation.
Harmony was excluded from government in 2011 despite winning the largest vote share, and most of Latvia’s elite believes it should remain shut out of power until it renounces ties with Mr Putin’s party and condemns Russian aggression in Ukraine.
But some Latvian officials believe that bringing the professional and slick Mr Usakovs into government would be the best way of easing the ethnic divisions in the country.