Latvians go to the polls

Latvian voters headed to the polls today to elect the Baltic nation’s first new parliament since it settled into a new era of stability by joining the European Union and NATO in 2004.

With few hot issues in the campaign, the election’s main question is which of the largely similar right-wing parties will be given a mandate to lead Latvia’s coalition government.

The opposition New Era party is hoping to strengthen its position against the ruling People’s Party, which leads in the polls, and stage a return to the government after pulling out of the ruling coalition this year.

A first provisional result was expected around midnight (10pm Irish time) with a preliminary result announced tomorrow.

The election could be marked by low turnout at the polls as analysts say a lack of major issues has created an aura of voter apathy in the former Soviet republic of 2.3 million people.

Gaining admission to the EU and NATO was the dominant goal after winning independence in 1991, and brought a sense of complacency to many Latvians. The country’s economy is the fastest growing in Europe – gross domestic product soared 10.2% last year – and next month’s NATO summit in Riga is seen as a way to cement the country’s place on the international arena.

President Vaira Vike-Freiberga expressed concern this week about low voter turnout and appealed to citizens to go and vote.

“If you don’t vote then you have no right to complain about what takes place in the country,” she said.