Turnout in Latvia’s Saeima elections was 51% — LSM English

In Latvia, turnout in the October 3 Saeima elections was 51%. Yuriy Nikishin, a researcher of political participation at the University of Latvia, called it historically low and noted that declining electoral activity is also being observed in other European countries.

As LSM English reports, Nikishin has been researching political participation in Latvia for about 15 years. According to him, taking part in voting requires time, including to familiarize oneself with party programs, candidates, their reputations and previous activities.

Distrust in politics

In the researcher’s view, some people do not see the expected results, honesty and consistency in the parties’ proposals and politicians’ work. Therefore, politics is often perceived as a “dirty business,” and voters’ choices may depend more on trust in particular politicians than on party programs or political orientation.

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Nikishin also noted that Latvia has a significant share of citizens who view both democracy and a system focused on a strong leader who does not need to take parliament and elections into account positively. He linked this to the desire among part of society to see a politician capable of resolving problems quickly and authoritatively.

Risks of voter alienation

According to Nikishin’s assessment, low turnout will not necessarily lead to mass protests, unrest or attempts to violently change the government in Latvia. At the same time, some citizens may accumulate a sense of alienation from the political system and a perception that it lacks sufficient public legitimacy.

The researcher also pointed to the risks of limiting the influence of non-governmental organizations and media on public discussion. In his view, criticism of NGOs, which often assess the authorities’ actions, may become a search for a “scapegoat” instead of an analysis of the inefficient or non-transparent use of public funds.