1993 Latvian parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in Latvia on 5 and 6 June 1993,^[1] the first after independence was restored in 1991. Latvian Way emerged as the largest party in the Saeima, winning 36 of the 100 seats. A total of 23 parties participated in the elections, although only eight received 4% or more of votes and won seats.^[2] Voter turnout was 91.2%, the highest in the country's history.^[3] Only 66–75% of Latvian residents were citizens and qualified to vote, with the majority of those not able to vote being Russian.^[4]

1993 Latvian parliamentary election

← 1990 5–6 June 1993 1995 →
All 100 seats in the Saeima 51 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	91.18% (9,93 pp)
Party Leader Vote % Seats LC Valdis Birkavs 32.41 36 LNNK Joachim Siegerist 13.35 15 SL Jānis Jurkāns 12.01 13 LZS Jānis Kinna 10.65 12 Equal Rights Tatjana Ždanoka 5.76 7 TB Māris Grīnblats 5.35 6 LKDS Andris Teikmanis 5.01 6 DCP Ints Cālītis 4.77 5 This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below. Results by district Prime Minister before Prime Minister after Ivars Godmanis Popular Front of Latvia Valdis Birkavs Latvian Way

Results

Party		Votes	%	Seats
	Latvian Way	362,473	32.41	36
	Latvian National Independence Movement	149,347	13.35	15
	Harmony for Latvia	134,289	12.01	13
	Latvian Farmers' Union	119,116	10.65	12
	Equal Rights	64,444	5.76	7
	For Fatherland and Freedom	59,855	5.35	6
	Christian Democratic Union	56,057	5.01	6
	Democratic Center Party	53,303	4.77	5
	Popular Front of Latvia	29,396	2.63	0
	Green List	13,362	1.19	0
	Party of Russian Citizens in Latvia	13,006	1.16	0
	Latvian Democratic Labour Party	10,509	0.94	0
	Electoral Union "Happiness of Latvia"	9,814	0.88	0
	Citizens Union "Our Land"	8,687	0.78	0
	Economic Activity League	8,333	0.75	0
	Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party	7,416	0.66	0
	Anti-Communist Union	5,954	0.53	0
	Republican Platform	5,075	0.45	0
	Conservatives and Peasants	2,797	0.25	0
	Independents' Union	1,968	0.18	0
	Latvian Liberal Party	1,520	0.14	0
	Latvian Unity Party	1,070	0.10	0
	Liberal Alliance	525	0.05	0
Total		1,118,316	100.00	100
Valid votes		1,118,316	98.60
Invalid/blank votes		15,888	1.40
Total votes		1,134,204	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		1,243,956	91.18
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Aftermath

A coalition minority government was formed between Latvian Way and the Latvian Farmers' Union. However, the coalition only commanded the support of 48 out of the 100 MPs, meaning that it was heavily reliant on opposition parties to ensure a parliamentary majority.

References

1. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1122 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
2. 5th Saeima Elections CVK
3. Nohlen & Stöver, p1123
4. "Minorities at Risk Project, Chronology for Russians in Latvia, 2004, Jun 4 – 5, 1993". Center for International Development and Conflict Management (CIDCM), University of Maryland.