Latvian Election Candidates Older, More Educated, but Fewer in Number

Latvia is heading into its 2026 parliamentary elections with a noticeably smaller pool of candidates, who are also, on average, older and more formally educated than those who ran in 2022. Central Election Commission data reveals that 1,434 candidates are vying for seats across 14 lists, a significant drop from the 1,829 candidates who competed for 100 seats in the previous election. This represents a 21.6% reduction in candidate numbers over four years, with an average of 14.3 candidates per seat this year, down from 18.3 in 2022. The demographic shift is evident in the age profile, with the average candidate age rising from 46.6 years in 2022 to 48.5 years for the upcoming election. The median age has also climbed from 46 to 48. While the youngest candidate is 20, the oldest is 88. Parties like the Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) and "Latvia First" feature the oldest candidate lists, averaging over 52 years, while "Gobzema saraksts" and "The Progressives" present younger slates, averaging around 41.6 years. Academically, the candidate pool has become more sophisticated. This year, 78.7% of candidates hold higher education degrees, an increase from 74.6% in 2022. Although the absolute number of candidates with higher education has fallen due to the overall decrease in candidates, their proportion has grown by 4.1 percentage points. Conversely, the share of candidates with secondary education has declined. Parties like "New Unity" and "United List" boast the highest percentages of candidates with university degrees, while "Stabilitātei!" and "Gobzema saraksts" have the lowest. However, the gender balance has not improved and has slightly worsened. Women now constitute 34% of the candidates, down from 36.3% in 2022. "Stabilitātei!" is the only party with an equal number of male and female candidates.