Ruling Coalition Wins Latvia Parliamentary Elections

Latvia's Central Election Commission says the center-right coalition government has won the majority of votes in the country's parliamentary elections.

The coalition of Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma's Unity party, the Union of Greens and Farmers, and the National Alliance took nearly 58 percent of the ballots, the commission said on October 5 after 95 percent of the votes were counted.

But the individual party receiving the most votes was the left-leaning main opposition party, Harmony, with 23 percent.

Harmony draws much of its support from Latvia's Russian minority, which makes up a quarter of the Baltic country's 2 million inhabitants.

Straujuma's government has been one of the most outspoken supporters of EU sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine conflict.

Voter turnout was 59 percent, the commission said.

Based on reporting by dpa and Interfax