Of the two publicly known presidential candidates in Latvia, businessman and founder of Combined List political party Uldis Pīlēns has the most support from residents. At the same time, however, 52% of residents would rather see some new candidate, according to results of an online survey by Norstat.
Around 35% of respondents see Pīlēns as the better candidate of the two. 14% of respondents support the re-election of President Egils Levits.
Nevertheless, 52% of respondents want to see some other candidate.
Similar opinions are shared by genders – 34% of men and 35% of women support Pīlēns as a candidate. 15% of men and 13% of women support Levits. 51% of men and 52% of women would rather see some other candidate.
In Riga Pīlēns has support from 32% of respondents, whereas Levits has support from 17%. A total of 51% of respondents there want to see some other candidate. In Pieriga 25% support Pīlēns, 17% support Levits, and 58% want to see some other candidate.
In Kurzeme 50% of respondents are in favour of Pīlēns. 10% of respondents there support Levits. In Zemgale support for Pīlēns reaches 36% and support for Levits is at 12%. In Latgale support for both candidates is 44% and 5% respectively. In Vidzeme 30% of respondents support Pīlēns and 15% support Levits.
Among Latvians support for Pīlēns reaches 30%. Another 20% support Levits. 51% are in favour of some other candidate.
Among Russian-speakers, however, support for Pīlēns reaches 42%, support for Levits is at 3%, and another 55% would rather see some better candidate.
When it comes to education, the majority of people who support Pīlēns have secondary education (40% of this group). People with primary education support him the least – 18%.
Levits is supported the most by people with higher education (19% of this group) and the least by people with secondary vocational education (5%).
Among the respondents from the 18 to 29 age group, 24% support Pīlēns, 22% support Levits and 54% would rather see a new candidate.
In the 30 to 39 age group, 31% of respondents support Pīlēns, 11% support Levits, and 58% want to see a different choice.
Among the 40 to 49 age group, 37% are on Pīlēns’ side, 13% are on Levits’ side, and 50% want someone else.
The online survey was conducted between the 28th of April and the 3rd of May. 1 005 respondents aged between 18 and 74 years participated in this survey.
More on this topic: Survey data shows Egils Levits has the lowest rating in the history of Latvian presidents