"Society Sees Hope": Expert Explains Voters' Trust in Kulbergs

Strong support for the United List

According to exit polls of voters who cast ballots in Latvia's Saeima election, the United List (AS) holds a clear lead over other parties. Political communication researcher Mārtiņš Pričins told the LETA news agency that the results should be treated with caution, since around a third of respondents did not reveal their choice. Even so, he said, the AS result is notably high.

In his view, this shows that society trusts prime ministerial candidate Andris Kulbergs and sees a clear direction in the government's work, creating hope that the course already set will continue.

Decline for "Sovereign Power"

Pričins suggested the drop in support for the "Sovereign Power"/"Union of Latvian Nationalists" party compared to earlier ratings could be linked to recent political scandals, though he cautioned against drawing firm conclusions yet. He noted that some of this party's supporters may be among those who chose not to disclose their vote in the poll.

Possible coalition

Pričins believes the most likely scenario is that AS retains the leading role in forming the next government, though the exact coalition will depend on which parties clear the 5% threshold needed to enter parliament. Regardless of whether "New Unity" is part of the next government, he expects Latvia's political course to become more nationally conservative. He named the National Alliance as one possible coalition partner for AS.

Weak result for the Greens and Farmers' Union

The expert suggested the poor showing of the Greens and Farmers' Union (ZZS) might be connected to the recent detention of Welfare Minister Reinis Uzulnieks for drunk driving. He noted that the public is sensitive to alcohol-related incidents, and the party's response may not have been sufficient to offset the negative effect on voters. However, Pričins stressed this explanation remains only an assumption that would require further study.