I/II. http://www.freenewspos.com/en/europe-news-article/b/1223823/russia/latvia-coalition-holds-power-in-vote-pro-putin-force-wanes-yahoo-new-zealand
Latvia coalition holds power in vote, pro-Putin force wanes - Yahoo New Zealand 2014-10-05 15:59:00 Riga (AFP) - Latvia's centre-right governing coalition scored a fresh victory in weekend elections amid alarm over neighbouring Russia's resurgent power, though a Kremlin-allied party backed by the ethnic Russian minority nabbed the most seats in parliament. The leftist Harmony party, allied with Russian President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party, actually lost ground in the vote, winning only 24 of 100 seats, down from 31 in the outgoing assembly, full official results showed Sunday. But without obvious coalition partners, Harmony is set to stay in opposition, while ethnic Latvian parties that campaigned on concerns of Russia's expansionist actions will keep their spot at the helm of the Baltic state. 69 with a fourth party possibly joining in. Selezionare questa frase per l'editor citato articolo In the outgoing parliament formed after the last polls in 2011, a four-party coalition held 63 seats. - Geopolitical jitters - With Europe now in its worst standoff with Russia since the Cold War, Saturday's election was overshadowed by fears that Moscow could attempt to destabilise the Soviet-era satellite states of the Baltic. Russia's annexation of Crimea and meddling in eastern Ukraine spooked voters in this NATO and eurozone member of just two million people, where many retain vivid memories of the Soviet occupation that ended only a quarter-century ago. Straujuma has been quick to call for more NATO troops and extra air patrols in the vulnerable region, and the alliance has responded with increased troop rotations and exercises. "People wanted change but they started to be afraid in the context of Ukraine and Russia," Arnis Kaktins from the SKDS pollsters told AFP of Sunday's results which largely mirrored the outgoing parliament. In it, predominantly ethnic Latvian parties joined forces to form a bulwark against the Putin-allied Harmony, favoured by Russians who account for a quarter of the population. "It's a pattern we've had for the quarter century" since independence, University of Latvia Professor Daunis Auers told AFP. "There is no surprise... the existing coalition has good support," President Andris Berzins said Sunday. Under the constitution the new parliament will open on November 4. It was not immediately clear whether Berzins would ask the 63-year-old Straujuma, a pragmatic technocrat, to form a new coalition government. Analysts believe he could tap her Unity party colleague, outgoing EU development commissioner Andris Piebalgs, as Latvia is poised to take over the European Union's rotating six-month presidency in January. "It's clear we don't have too much time," Berzins told LTV Sunday. "Soon it will be the first of January when we will be very active internationally." Another possibility is Roberts Zile, leader of the National Alliance junior coalition partner, according to University of Latvia political scientist Ivars Ijabs. But Harmony leader Janis Urbanovics insisted Sunday that having won the most seats, his party should be the president's natural first choice. "We are the winners of the elections, in first place, and in a democratic country we expect the biggest party to be asked to form a government," he told LTV. - Sanctions woes - Concern is also running high over the impact that tit-for-tat sanctions between Moscow and Brussels over the Ukraine crisis could have on this tiny Baltic state, which is heavily reliant on trade with Russia. Latvia made a spectacular recovery from the world's deepest recession in 2008-09, when output shrank by nearly a quarter during the global financial crisis. A painful austerity drive by a centre-right government then paved the way for entry into the eurozone in January. The sacrifices paid off, and growth in Latvia topped the 28-member EU for a third consecutive year in 2013, with a 4.0 percent expansion. Forecasts had pointed to nearly five percent growth this year, but the escalating sanctions war could hit Baltic trade, transit and tourism. "I voted for Unity on the basis that they are the best among the bad options," voter Maris Skrastins, 25, told AFP in Riga. "I trust them with the economy more than the others." The three parties in Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma's centre-right governing coalition secured a sound 61-seat majority in the Saturday election, which could rise to II. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/10/04/us-latvia-election-idUKKCN0HT0C720141004 Latvians seen re-electing center right, Russia overshadows poll By Aija Krutaine RIGA Sat Oct 4, 2014 11:30pm BST 1 of 5. Latvia's Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma casts her ballot during parliamentary elections in Jaunmarupe, October 4, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Ints Kalnins (Reuters) - Latvia's center-right government held a clear lead in a general election on Saturday after taking a hard line over the actions of neighbor and former ruler Russia in Ukraine. Years of austerity after the global financial crisis have dented the coalition government's popularity. But the conflict in Ukraine has shifted focus from the economy to security in a country where ethnic Russians make up almost 21 percent of voters and have heavily backed the pro-Russian opposition Concord party. Fears over Russia's intentions in the Baltic region are often voiced by citizens, some of whom have painful memories of Russian rule, and early results showed the three-party coalition government with around 57 percent of the vote. After voting booths had closed, the leader of Union of Greens and Farmers, part of the coalition, said the government would continue in power if current indications proved accurate. "That is what the voter expects from us: stability for the country, a steady political course and Western values, and we will guarantee that," Augusts Brigmanis told Latvian TV. Latvia's election commission said that with around 40 percent of the votes counted, the Unity party, the Nationalist Alliance and the Union of Greens and Farmers had 56.7 percent of the vote. Concord had around 24 percent and was the biggest party. An earlier exit poll, conducted by the news agency LETA together with the broadcaster LNT and Riga Stradins University, gave the coalition 61.7 percent of the vote. Concord had 21.6 percent, while two new parties looked set to cross the 5 percent threshold to enter parliament. Two other exit polls showed similar results. "This election is different because of what is going on in Ukraine," Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma said as she cast her vote in a school in Jaunmarupe, a residential suburb of Latvia's capital Riga. "The situation is escalating there again and people are worried what will happen because we have a border with Russia." Straujuma has boosted defence spending and joined Baltic neighbors Estonia and Lithuania in pressing for a bigger NATO presence in the region. Furthermore, while spending and wage cuts under Straujuma's predecessor Valdis Dombrovskis hurt the pockets of many Latvians, the policies helped the country into the euro zone this year and the economy is among Europe's fastest-growing. "I don't want Russian elements to be a majority," said 31-year-old Linda Zetmane, who works in human resources and who cast her vote for Straujuma's Unity party. "Latvia is Latvia and it should be governed by Latvians." Concord voters come mainly from the ethnic Russians who make up about a quarter of Latvia's two million-strong population. The party has called for Russian to become Latvia's second official language and did not back a recent parliamentary resolution supporting Ukraine against "Russian aggression". "The conflict with Russia is Ukraine's conflict with Russia, it is not ours," said pensioner Georgy Gurevich, 62, who voted for the Concord party. He said Concord's candidate for prime minister, Nils Ushakovs, had improved life in Riga since he became mayor in 2009. The former Soviet republic is a member of both NATO and the European Union and has backed EU economic sanctions imposed against Moscow over its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and its support for pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. (Reporting by Aija Krutaine; Writing by Simon Johnson; Editing by Catherine Evans and James Dalgleish) -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
