The SKDS study surveyed 1,000 residents of Latvia.
This year, 56% of those surveyed have commented that this Saeima is not working better than the previous one, and this is the worst-ever initial assessment of a newly elected Saeima, according to the research company's head Arnis Kaktiņš' statement on Twitter.
A large part – 30% – of the respondents have chosen a neutral response.
Vai šī Saeima darbojas labāk kā iepriekšējā? Jūlijā tikai 14% atbildējā ar JĀ. 56% saka, ka NĒ. Interesanti - šie skaitļi ir mazliet sliktāki nekā 10.Saeimas pirmā darbības gada rādītāji… – un tā bija Saeima, kuru Zatlers atlaida! Visām Saeimām kopš 2003. sākums ir bijis labāks! pic.twitter.com/Orsh0ypJb0
— Arnis Kaktiņš (@ArnisKaktins) August 22, 2023
After a year of work of the previous, 13th, Saeima, 16% of respondents said that it worked better than the 12th. The same assessment was given for the first year of work of the 12th Saeima.
After one year of work of the 11th parliament, 24% said it worked better than the 10th which was dissolved by then-president Valdis Zatlers.
As Kaktiņš points out, this year, figures are even worse than for the 10th Saeima.
Saeima Chairman Edvards Smiltēns (United List) , in an interview with the Latvian Television broadcast Morning Panorama, said that parliaments had "always" had [positive] ratings within the range of 14-17% and that a large part of the society was negative or neutral about Saeima's work.
"There is a small fall, and it is no wonder, because a third of the Saeima's time has been spent not in intensive and dynamic work, but ignorance, political intrigues, and the sorting of relations. Three months have been spent in absolutely fruitless discussions", Smiltēns said, stressing that the public is concerned about everyday bills, rising food prices, and economic backwardness.
