Preliminary EP election results

RIGA- The June 6 and 7 European Parliament elections have been successfully completed in the Baltic states, with wide shifts in representation and surprisingly low turnout rates.  

According to preliminary results the CivicUnion party of Latvia has won the elections in Latvia,receiving 24.32 percent of the vote. The party will take two of the eight Latvianseats in the EP. Harmony Center party received 19.53 percent of the vote and will also have twoseats, announced the Central Election Commission.

Gaining one seat will be For Human Rightsin a United Latvia party, Latvia's First Way/ Latvia'sWay, For Fatherland and Freedom and New Era parties.

Lithuanian Conservativescame out on top, led by Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius with 26.8 percent ofthe vote, giving the party 4 of the twelve seats in the European Parliament.

"We have gained thegreatest voter confidence in these elections and for me this is a clear signal that the path chosen by our government is theright one," Kubilius told reporters.

The Social Democrats(center-left) party gained three seats with 18.62 percent of the vote.  

Populist Order and Justiceparty gained two seats and 12.24 percent of the vote, and the populist LaborParty with 8.81 percent of the vote gained one seat.

The Lithuanian nationalelection commission announced that this year saw a record low turnout, only20.91 percent of eligible citizens voting.

Estonia, with six seats to fill, saw a high turnoutfor the elections, largely due to the electronic, online voting system.

 Estonian Center Party, a left-centrist partychaired by Edgar Savisaar, won the election with 26.1 percent of the vote,gaining two seats.  Gaining one seat eachwere the Estonian Reform Party, Pro Patria and Res Publica Union and EstonianSocial Democratic Party.