Lativa legislative election - 4 October 2014

[Famous Mortimer]

Another difference I've come across between the anti-oligarch conservatives (Unity) and the pro-oligarch conservatives (Greens and Farmers, For Latvia From the Heart, United for Latvia) is that the oligarchs, while not caring much about ethnic Russian non-citizens, are somewhat more conciliatory towards the Russian government/Russian business interests.

The Reform Party, when it existed, seemed to occupy a unique spot where it was anti-oligarch but not anti-Russian.

[Famous Mortimer]

Apparently there are at least three different politicians named Andris Berzins in Latvia.

The President of the country who is a member of the Greens and Farmers Union.

A former Prime Minister from Latvian Way

An MP from the Greens and Farmers Union.

[politicus]

Final result - no change of seats.

Harmony 23,0% (24)
Unity 21.9% (23)
Union of Greens and Farmers 19,5% (21)
All For Latvia-For Fatherland And Freedom/LNNK ("National Alliance") 16,6% (17)
For Latvia From The Heart 6,9% (7)
Alliance of Regions of Latvia 6,7% ( 8 )
---------------------------------
Russian Union of Latvia 1,6%
United for Latvia  1,2%
For Latvia's Development 0,9%  
New Conservative Party 0,7%
Freedom. Free from Fear, Hate and Wrath 0,2%
Growth 0,2%
Sovereignty 0,1%


Riga (32)

Harmony 12
Unity 7
VL-TB/LNNK 5  
Regional Alliance 3
Greens/Farmers Union 3
For Latvia From The Heart 2


Vidzeme (26)

Unity 7
VL-TB/LNNK 6
Greens/Farmers 6
Harmony 3
Regional Alliance 2
For Latvia From The Heart 2


Zemgale (14)

Greens/Farmers 4
Unity 3
VL-TB/LNNK 3
Harmony 2
Regional Alliance 1  
For Latvia From The Heart 1


Kurzeme (13)

Greens/Farmers 5  
Unity 3
VL-TB/LNNK 2  
Regional Alliance 1
Harmony 1  
For Latvia From The Heart 1


Latgale (15)

Harmony 6  
Unity 3
Greens/Farmers 3
VL-TB/LNNK 1
For Latvia From The Heart 1
Regional Alliance 1

[politicus]

Interesting that Unity actually only won Vidzeme. They finished second everywhere else, but only barely in Zemgale and Latgale.

Funny that so few Latvians chose freedom, sovereignty and growth Still, they did like harmony and unity Latvian party names are one big exhibition of buzzwords...

[Famous Mortimer]

Final result - no change of seats.

Harmony 23,0% (24)
Unity 21.9% (23)
Union of Greens and Farmers 19,5% (21)
All For Latvia-For Fatherland And Freedom/LNNK ("National Alliance") 16,6% (17)
For Latvia From The Heart 6,9% ( 8 )
Alliance of Regions of Latvia 6,7% (7)
---------------------------------
Russian Union of Latvia 1,6%
United for Latvia  1,2%
For Latvia's Development 0,9%  
New Conservative Party 0,7%
Freedom. Free from Fear, Hate and Wrath 0,2%
Growth 0,2%
Sovereignty 0,1%

Actually, although your vote percentages are right, the seats are off. Regions won 8 and Heart won 7. I'm unsure what exactly caused Regions to get more seats even though it got less votes, I would guess that it has something to do with weighing votes by region. That would especially make senses given the nature of the party.

[politicus]

Final result - no change of seats.

Harmony 23,0% (24)
Unity 21.9% (23)
Union of Greens and Farmers 19,5% (21)
All For Latvia-For Fatherland And Freedom/LNNK ("National Alliance") 16,6% (17)
For Latvia From The Heart 6,9% ( 8 )
Alliance of Regions of Latvia 6,7% (7)
---------------------------------
Russian Union of Latvia 1,6%
United for Latvia  1,2%
For Latvia's Development 0,9%  
New Conservative Party 0,7%
Freedom. Free from Fear, Hate and Wrath 0,2%
Growth 0,2%
Sovereignty 0,1%

Actually, although your vote percentages are right, the seats are off. Regions won 8 and Heart won 7. I'm unsure what exactly caused Regions to get more seats even though it got less votes, I would guess that it has something to do with weighing votes by region. That would especially make senses given the nature of the party.

As you can see from the regional breakdown the difference is in Riga. Regions got 7,8% there and Hearts 5,6%, with 32 seats to share 2,2% is enough to make a difference - while they get the same seat allocation in the smaller regions.
My regional seat allocation was correct and so was the 98% poll numbers, which I knew was unchanged, so it must have just slipped my mind with the counterintuitive reverse seat share when I posted.

Anyway, corrected now.
 

[politicus]

Zakis steps down as head of Unity's Saeima group after accusations of vote buying:

http://www.leta.lv/eng/home/important/B6C34F5D-8668-4357-90FB-652482F994FA/

[politicus]

The coalition talks will resume on Monday, but the 3 centre-right parties have already agreed on principle about next prime minister and possible distribution of portfolios.

Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma (Unity) - no surprise there..

Unity get six posts in the new government (or probably 5 + Speaker - so all the heavy stuff)
Greens/Farmers - five
All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK (VL-TB/LNNK) - four

Unity: prime minister, finance minister, foreign minister + 3 more
Greens/Farmers: agriculture, welfare, defense, health + 1 more

VL-TB/LNNK: Ministry of Culture + 3 others

They quarel over: Environmental Protection, Regional Development Ministry, as well Transport as several parties want these portfolios. Especially Farmers vs. National Alliance. Justice and interior will likely go to the Nats ("law and order").

Unity seems to have pressured National Alliance to drop Regions getting regions in government. Farmers was also against it.

Regions want the President to be directly elected next time and has have talks with Harmony. Both things might have angered Unity.

[politicus]

Straujuma's coalition partners have declined her offer regarding distribution of portfolios in next government

According to Straujuma's offer, Unity would take the prime minister's position, as well as the Finance Ministry, Foreign Ministry, Interior Ministry, Education & Science and Transport.

Greens and Farmers' Union was offered Defense, Welfare, Agriculture and Economy  + Saeima speaker's position.

All For Latvia-For Fatherland And Freedom/LNNK would continue to be in charge of the Culture, Justice,  Environmental Protection & Regional Development and Health.

Her coalition partners refused to accept the offer, but they also decided that the public would not be informed about which posts were the cause of disagreement. The next coalition meeting is scheduled for October 17, during which the discussion on the formation of the new government will continue.

All talk about enlarging the government coalition has stopped.

[Famous Mortimer]

Not really to do with the national election but the Greens and Farmers MEP left the UKIP group to join the EPP, causing the UKIP group to briefly collapse, before a member of the Polish Congress of the New Right joined to save their group status.