Polls open in Latvia against backdrop of perceived Russia threat

What the report says

Polls opened in Latvia on Saturday in a parliamentary election shaped by public concern over Russia and pressure from rising living costs. Al Jazeera reported that the vote is the first major electoral test for Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs, who took office in May after his predecessor resigned following backlash linked to stray drone incursions from the war in Ukraine.

The right-wing United List, led by Kulbergs, is polling at about 20 percent and is expected to remain influential, but the decline of two allies in the current coalition could make post-election bargaining difficult. Al Jazeera said the result is not expected to alter Latvia’s broad pro-European and pro-Ukrainian direction. Voting began at 05:00 GMT and was scheduled to close at 17:00 GMT.

About 1.5 million people are eligible to vote in Latvia’s 11th parliamentary election since independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The country’s party system is highly fragmented, with coalitions usually required to govern. Fourteen lists were competing, though polls suggested only seven were likely to clear the 5 percent threshold for parliament.

Campaign issues included low wages, healthcare strains and population decline, alongside security worries. Al Jazeera noted that Latvia has increased defence spending sharply since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and now allocates nearly 5 percent of GDP to defence.