在俄罗斯带来的安全威胁日益加剧的背景下，拉脱维亚总理安德里斯·库尔贝格斯所在的政党在议会选举中赢得了创纪录的议席数，这一结果应有助于他巩固自身权力。
Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs’ party won a record number of seats in Latvia’s parliamentary elections, a result that should help him consolidate power at a time of growing security threats from Russia.
据拉脱维亚中央选举委员会透露，在已统计的超过95%的选票中，“联合名单”党预计将在这个拥有100个议席的议会中占据42个席位。这是自1991年拉脱维亚从苏联独立以来，单一政党取得的最佳选举成绩。
By Aaron Eglitis United List was set to take 42 seats in the Baltic nation’s 100-member parliament, the central election commission said, with more than 95% of ballots counted. The result is the best recorded by a single party since Latvia regained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
对于47岁的库尔贝格斯而言，这次胜利是对他政治能力的肯定。此前，由于前任政府应对无人机入侵事件不力而垮台，这位政治新人于今年5月被任命为总理。身高达1.96米的他行事风格大胆张扬，经常与反对派、自己的同僚乃至央行行长发生冲突。
The victory is vindication for Kulbergs, 47, a relative newcomer to politics who was nominated as prime minister in May after the previous government collapsed following a botched response to a drone incursion. At a towering six foot five, he’s cut a brash figure, clashing with the opposition, his own colleagues, and the central bank governor.
就任总理后，库尔贝格斯每天都会在社交媒体上发布视频，向民众汇报自己的工作情况，这在拉脱维亚政坛尚属首创。
Since becoming premier Kulbergs has posted a daily video on social media detailing his activities in a direct message to voters, a novelty for Latvian politics.
上个月，他曾竭尽全力试图阻止欧盟将两名俄罗斯亿万富翁从制裁名单中移除。在他的领导下，拉脱维亚预计将继续坚定地支持乌克兰。
Last month he made a last-ditch attempt to prevent the removal of two Russian billionaires from the European Union’s sanctions list. Under his leadership, Latvia is likely to continue its strongly pro-Ukrainian course.
“这是选民们给予我的极大信任，”出口民调结果公布后，库尔贝格斯在接受拉脱维亚电视台采访时说道，“民众渴望变革，渴望直接的沟通，也希望看到我们把经济发展作为国家的首要任务。” 部分选举结果显示，加上目前执政联盟中的另外两个伙伴政党——“新团结党”与“民族联盟”，库尔贝格斯可掌控的议席数约为60个。由于当前执政联盟中的另一成员“绿党与农民联盟”未能进入议会，这一优势将让他在后续的组阁谈判中占据主动。
Latvian Leader With Brash Style Poised for Re-Election“This is a great, great amount of trust from voters,” Kulbergs told Latvian TV after the exit polls were announced. “People want change, people want direct communication, people want to see that we’re putting the economy as the top priority for the country.”Together with two of his current partners in government — New Unity and the National Alliance — Kulbergs can count on about 60 votes, the partial results showed. This puts him in a strong position ahead of coalition talks after another ally in the current ruling alliance, the Union of Greens and Farmers, failed to get into parliament.
周六的选举是在这个波罗的海国家安全形势日益严峻的背景下举行的。俄罗斯一直在加大破坏活动力度，并于上周警告称可能打击那些向乌克兰提供武器的欧洲国防制造商，拉脱维亚因此可能成为攻击目标。
Saturday’s election took place against the backdrop of heightened security concern for the Baltic state. Russia has been ramping up sabotage actions and warned last week that it could strike defense manufacturers in Europe that help supply arms to Ukraine, potentially putting Latvia in the crosshairs.
为防范此类风险，拉脱维亚着手加强与俄罗斯及白俄罗斯的边境防御，并增加了国防开支，目标是使国防支出占国内生产总值的比例达到5%。
To prevent that, the country has been moving to fortify its border with Russia and Belarus and has increased defense spending, aiming to reach 5% of economic output.
作为欧盟和北约成员国，自2022年2月弗拉基米尔·普京总统发动全面入侵以来，拉脱维亚便成为乌克兰最坚定的支持者之一。据该国总理介绍，目前乌克兰政府有20%的数据被安全存储在拉脱维亚的服务器上。此外，在三个波罗的海国家中，拉脱维亚的俄语使用人口比例也最高。
The EU and NATO member state has become one of the staunchest supporters of Kyiv since President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion in February 2022. Latvia hosts 20% of the Ukrainian government’s data on its servers for security, according to the prime minister. It’s also home to the biggest Russian-speaking minority among the three Baltic states.
此次竞选中，争取这些选民支持的两大政党合计获得了11.7%的选票。“拉脱维亚优先”党以13.1%的得票率位居第二，而“进步党”则获得了7.8%的选票。
The two parties vying for those voters were set to receive a combined 11.7% support. The Latvia in First Party came in second with 13.1% and the Progressives took 7.8%.
确保今年议会选举的安全一直是重中之重。拉脱维亚曾请求德国派遣战斗机协助保护其领空。库尔贝格斯上月透露，该国还将就加入法国的核威慑计划展开磋商，而法方也已同意强化这个波罗的海国家的防空能力。
Protecting this year’s parliamentary elections has been a high priority. Latvia asked Germany to send fighter jets to help protect its airspace during the vote. The country will also start talks on joining France’s nuclear deterrence initiative, with Paris agreeing to strengthen the Baltic state’s air defense, Kulbergs said last month.