PERSPECTIVE DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS CONTINUITY IN CHANGE? Latvia’s Local Governments after Regional Reform and Local Government Elections Daunis Auers Riga, June 2021 Despite a substantial recent re­gional reform which was vigor­ously opposed by local leaders, the local government elections held in June 2021 did not alter the balance of power in Latvia. As a political project, the re­form may have achieved its goal to implement efficiency gains, yet the phenomenon of “strongmen” mayors continues to persist. A record-low voter turnout and a general discontent with parties and government per­formance may be an indication that a chance to find a widely accepted and long-term re­gional reform solution was missed.