Latvian parliamentary election, 2006

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Latvia
This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Latvia

Constitution President Valdis Zatlers Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis Saeima Dissolution by president Goverment (Cabinet of Ministers) Political parties Elections Parl.: 1995 - 1998 - 2002 - 2006 Pres.: 2007 Districts Subdivisions Politics of the European Union Foreign relations Language policy Non-citizenship
Other countries · Atlas Politics Portal view • talk • edit

The last elections for 9th Saeima, the parliament of Latvia were held on October 7, 2006. There were lists of candidates from 19 political parties. The voter participation was 62,23%, with 901,173 out of 1,448,039 eligible voters casting votes.

Out of the 19 parties contesting the elections, 7 gathered 5% or more of votes and won seats in the parliament.

[discuss] – [edit]
Summary of the 7 October 2006 Latvian Saeima **election results**
Parties and coalitions	Votes	%	Seats	Change
People's Party (Tautas partija)	177, 481	19.56	23	+3
Union of Greens and Farmers (Zaļo un Zemnieku savienība) Latvian Farmers' Union (Latvijas Zemnieku savienība) Green Party of Latvia (Latvijas Zaļā partija)	151, 595	16.71	18	+6
New Era (Jaunais Laiks)	148, 602	16.38	18	–8
Harmony Centre (Saskaņas centrs) National Harmony Party (Tautas saskaņas partija) Latvian Socialist Party (Latvijas Sociālistiskā partija)	130, 887	14.42	17	+17
Coalition of Latvia's First Party (Latvijas Pirmā partija) and Latvian Way (Latvijas Ceļš)	77, 869	8.58	10	±0
For Fatherland and Freedom (Tēvzemei un Brīvībai/LNNK)	62, 989	6.94	8	+1
For Human Rights in United Latvia (Par cilvēka tiesībām vienotā Latvijā)	54, 684	6.03	6	–19
Latvian Social Democratic Labour Party (Latvijas Sociāldemokrātiskā strādnieku partija)	31, 728	3.5	—
Motherland (Dzimtene)	18, 860	2.08	—
All For Latvia! (Visu Latvijai!)	13, 469	1.48	—
New Democrats (Jaunie Demokrāti)	11, 505	1.27	—
Total	901,173	100.0	100

The elections were the clear victory for the governing coalition, led by Prime Minister Aigars Kalvītis and his People's Party. Kalvitis's government thus became the first to be re-elected since Latvia regained independence in 1991. (BBC)

[edit] Violations and evaluations

OSCE/ODIHR Limited Election Observationn Mission has found that "Despite the ongoing naturalization process, the fact that a significant percentage of the adult population of Latvia does not enjoy voting rights represents a continuing democratic deficit". Its recommendations include:

allowing independent candidates to stand in elections;
giving consideration to granting the “non-citizens” of Latvia the right to vote in municipal elections;
allowing to produce instructional materials, voter information and other relevant documents in both Latvian and Russian;
clarifying applicability of the Party Financing Law to third-party activities in support of anelectoral campaign or during the campaign period;
considering terminating candidacy restrictions based on lustration provisions prior to the next Saeima elections.^[1]

MP J. Boldāns, elected from TB/LNNK, was sentenced by Latgale Regional Court to imprisonment for election fraud. J. Boldāns has appealed.^[2].

Member of "Harmony centre" J. Klementjevs and three employees of his enterprise were fined for buying votes by Zemgale Regional Court.^[3]

The Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has found that People's Party, LPP/LC, Harmony Centre, New Era and UGF have exceeded spending limits.^[4]