By Andrius Sytas
RIGA (Reuters) -The centre-right New Unity party of Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins won Saturday’s election, according to provisional results, with its 19% of the vote putting him in a position to head another coalition government.
The results – with 91% of districts counted – mean Latvia should remain a leading voice alongside its Baltic neighbours Lithuania and Estonia in pushing the European Union for a decisive stance against Russia.
Karins’ party was again the party with the most support following the election. Members of the current coalition were on track to receive 42 seats in the 100-seat parliament, so Karins needs to draft additional allies to stay as a prime minister.
As many as nine parties won sufficient votes to gain seats in parliament.
After a campaign dominated by security concerns following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Karins told Reuters he will be working to craft a coalition of like-minded parties.
“I am convinced that we will be able find such a solution,” he said early on Sunday.
“First and foremost on everyone’s minds is how we all get through the winter, not only in Latvia but throughout the EU, and that we all remain united behind Ukraine, and do not waiver in the face of difficulties for us”, said Karins.
The first Latvian head of government to serve through a full four-year term, Karins, a 57-year-old dual U.S. and Latvian citizen, has benefited from his Moscow policy, which included restricting the entry of Russian citizens travelling from Russia and Belarus.
“I see no chance that any government in Latvia will stop supporting Ukraine – this is not a view of a small group of politicians, this is the view of our society”, said Karins.
But his victory could widen a rift between the country’s Latvian majority and its Russian-speaking minority over their place in society, amid widespread national anger over Moscow’s actions in Ukraine.
(Reporting by Andrius Sytas and Janis LaizansEditing by Kirsten Donovan and Frances Kerry)
