First results by the Latvian central election commission confirm that a party supported by the country's Russian minority leads in the Latvian early parliamentary elections.
This is the first time in 20 years since the tiny Baltic state restored independence that a party defending interests of the country's largest ethnic minority is leading in parliamentary polls.
With ballots counted at 471 polling stations out of 1,027, the center left leaning Harmony Center party is supported by 32.23% of the vote.
The anti-corruption Reform party by ex-president Valdis Zatlers is the runner-up, with 19.14% of the vote, followed by the business-backed Unity bloc with 16.87% of the vote.
Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis triggered the elections after he dissolved the legislature for not backing a corruption probe of a businessman. Zatlers lost his re-election bid, but voters supported his decision to form a new legislature by passing a referendum.
