Voters in Western Europe support parties with ethnic Latvian electorate; Russian speakers' parties perform better in Eastern Europe

RIGA - Latvian citizens residing in Western Europe have mostly voted for political parties with a predominantly ethnic Latvian electorate, while voters in Eastern Europe have supported parties catering to Russian speakers' interests, according to LETA's estimates on the results of the 14th Saeima elections in foreign countries. 

New Unity and the Progressives emerged as the most popular parties with Latvian living in Western Europe and For Stability won the highest support in Eastern Europe. 

New Unity was the most popular choice of Latvian citizens in most European countries, as well as the United States. New Unity received 51.1 percent of the vote in the US, 25 percent in the Netherlands and 23.3 percent in Germany. 

New Unity also received 23.1 percent in Denmark, 19.4 percent in Sweden, 16.6 percent in the UK, 16.4 percent in Norway and 13 percent in Ireland. 

The Progressives won the greatest support in the Netherlands where the party won 28.9 percent of the vote. Another 17.9 percent of Latvians voted for the Progressives in Denmark, 14.5 percent in Germany and 14.4 percent in the US. 

In Sweden, the Progressives received 12.9 percent, in the UK 12.3 percent, in Norway 9.2 percent and in Ireland 6.6 percent of the vote. 

The Progressives were the most popular party with Latvian citizens in the Netherlands and the Czech Republic. 

Meanwhile, For Stability won 23.6 percent of the vote in Ireland and just 5 percent in Germany. For Stability also received 11.8 percent of the vote in the UK, 7.3 percent in Sweden, 7 percent in Norway and 5.3 percent in the Netherlands.

For Stability was the most popular choice among Latvian citizens voting at polling stations in Russia, Belarus and Ireland. 

Other parties proved far less popular with Latvian voters abroad. 

As reported, New Unity achieved the best result in last Saturday's parliamentary elections by winning 26 mandates in the 14th Saeima. The Union of Greens and Farmers follows with 16, United List with 15, National Alliance with 13, For Stability with 11, Progressives with 10 and Latvia First with nine mandates.