SKDS poll: nearly 58% of Latvians oppose legalizing same-sex marriage

Ahead of Latvia's 15th Saeima elections scheduled for October 3, the news portal Delfi commissioned an SKDS survey to gauge public opinion on several socially divisive issues, including the legalization of same-sex marriage. The results show that a clear majority of respondents oppose such a change.

Asked about their attitude toward legalizing same-sex marriage in Latvia, 57.8% of respondents said they were against it, while only 33.3% expressed support.

Differences by political preference

The survey also cross-referenced attitudes with respondents' planned voting choices. Opposition was strongest among supporters of "Sovereign Power"/"Union of New Latvians," the "Gobzems List," the Union of Greens and Farmers, the National Alliance, "Rising Sun for Latvia," and "For Stability." By contrast, supporters of "The Progressives," "New Unity," and "For the Development of Latvia" showed markedly more favorable attitudes.

Differences by age and education

Young people aged 18 to 24 were the most supportive group, with 62.5% fully backing legalization. Opposition was highest among those aged 55 to 64 (57%) and 45 to 54 (52.6%).

By education level, among those who support legalization, the largest share had only basic education (29.3%), while 19.9% had higher education. Among those who fully oppose legalization, the largest group had secondary or vocational secondary education (45.1%).

The survey was conducted from July 10 to 15 among 1,205 permanent residents of Latvia aged 18 to 75. The electoral preference data reflect only responses from Latvian citizens.