Election results: little change in municipalities

Take note – story published 6 years ago

Results of local elections released early on June 4 showed that in general the municipal landcsape will remain unchanged for the next four years.

Results from the Central Election Commission (CVK) show that despite the ppearance of several new parties in the election campaign, they had little impact.

Turnout was just over 50%, up on the 45% figure of the last municipal elections.

In Riga mayor Nils Uskovs is set to continue in power and in Ventspils Aivars Lembergs will continue to control the affairs of the city. Most other cities and districts also returned their incumbent representatives. 

The battle for control of the capital inevitably dominated headlines in the election campaign ad social media was briefly aflutter when an exit poll suggested Usakovs might have lost his majority - but this proved to be inaccurate and Usakovs' Harmony/Honor To Serve Riga ticket secured more than 50% of the popular vote. 

That is a huge lead over the second and third placed showings of the Latvian Regional Alliance and the newly formed New Conservative Party, both of which racked up 13% of the vote.

Fourth place went to the nationalist National Alliance with 9%.

In contrast the once all-conquering Unity party failed to meet its own modest target of 10%, recording a meager 6%.  

Turnout in the capital was higher than average acros the rest of the country with 57% of Rigans casting their ballots.

There was some good news for Unity with the party retaining its hold on Cesis with a remarkable 67% of the vote.

In Ventspils, controversial mayor Aivars Lembergs will continue as mayor well into a second decade after his 'For Latvia and Ventspils' party locked up 62%.

In Latvia's second-largest city, Daugavpils, the majority of the vote was split between Harmony and the Latgale Party, both on 28%, though the Latgale party gets 6 council seats while Harmony gets 5.

Also in Latgale, Rezekne remains a stronghold for Harmony after it secured 59%.

Liepaja, the third largest city, will have one of the more interesting electoral landscapes with three parties in decent positions: the Liepaja party with 6 seats (31% of vote), Latvia's Regional Alliance with 5 seats (29%) and Harmony with 4 seats (19%).

Full results can be read at the CVK's website HERE

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