United List secures victory as coalition talks begin
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With 99% of the votes counted, the United List has effectively won the parliamentary election, securing 42 mandates in the Saeima. It is the party's best-ever result and gives them the first word on what the next government will look like.
Preliminary discussions on a coalition have already narrowed the field. Edgars Tavars, a leading figure in the United List, has ruled out inviting the Latvia First party into a governing pact. In Riga, winning the election is often the easy part; finding partners who can agree on a cabinet is the traditional test of patience.
The new parliament inherits a familiar set of headaches. While economists call for reforms to move the country past a 'pipe seller' mentality, a scandal involving an expensive tractor on a former minister's farm has provided a more concrete distraction for the public.