Unequal Democracy Latvia

Two new reports from the Unequal Democracies series examine political inequality in Latvia from two perspectives: electoral participation and parliamentary representation. Together, they provide a comprehensive picture of who takes part in democratic decision-making—and whose voices are systematically less visible.

The first report,Who (Does Not) Vote?,shows that electoral participation in Latvia is strongly structured by social inequality. Age, education, and income are key predictors of turnout, with older, better-educated, and higher-income citizens participating at significantly higher rates than younger and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. In addition, turnout varies geographically, with higher participation in more affluent municipalities around Riga and lower levels in economically weaker regions such as Latgale. The report also highlights a widening participation gap between Latvian- and Russian-speaking citizens, reflecting deeper patterns of political disengagement among parts of the electorate.

The second report, Who (Does Not) Have a Seat in Parliament?, focuses on the composition of the Saeima. It finds that parliamentary representation is concentrated among highly educated, middle-aged men from upper professional and managerial backgrounds. Working-class citizens, lower-income groups, younger people, and women remain underrepresented. Recruitment into parliament is also highly selective, with most MPs entering politics through established political career pathways, particularly via local government and other political offices. As a result, parliamentary representation reflects a narrow segment of Latvian society.

Taken together, the two reports, both authored by Līga Stafecka show that inequalities in voting and inequalities in representation reinforce each other. Groups that participate less in elections are also those least represented in parliament, contributing to a self-reinforcing cycle of unequal political influence. These patterns raise important questions about democratic responsiveness and political trust in Latvia, where many citizens already feel distant from political institutions.

The findings are part of the Unequal Democracies comparative research series, which analyses political inequality across 30 democracies in Europe and North America using a standardized framework developed by Armin Schäfer and Lea Elsässer.