Ageing, inequality and insufficient workforce Latvia's biggest challenges: new survey

Latvian residents believe that the main challenges the country will face in the years to come are the ageing population, inequality and a decreasing labour force, according to the latest DNB Latvia Barometer survey.

When asked to name the challenges Latvia will have to face in the coming five years, 52 percent of respondents mentioned ageing, 42 percent mentioned social inequality, 39 percent mentioned insufficient workforce, 31 percent mentioned unemployment and 29 percent mentioned a negative economic situation.

Less frequent concerns included increased immigration (cited by a quarter of respondents),  economic competition with other countries (21 percent), a tense geopolitical (16 percent) and disagreements between different ethnicities (13 percent).

When asked to describe what life in Latvia will be like in five years' time, 35 percent of respondents said it will get better. 17 percent of respondents were pessimistic and said that life will be tougher, while 30 percent said that nothing will have changed.

The survey was conducted from January 9 to 24. A total of 1,000 respondents between the ages of 18 and 74 were interviewed.