Latvia votes in parliamentary election amid rising costs
Around 1.5 million Latvians are eligible to vote in an election which has been dominated by national security concerns and rising living costs. Four Eurofighter jets are on NATO deployment over Latvia during the poll.
On Saturday, polling began in Latvia for the 11th parliamentary election since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The election, featuring 100 seats up for grabs in the Saeima (parliament) through a proportional system, has been characterized by rising living costs and national security concerns. Latvia, situated between Russia and Belarus, is particularly vigilant about security threats, with Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine seen as a direct threat.
Andris Kulbergs, Latvia's current prime minister, took office in May following the collapse of the previous government over a dispute concerning Ukrainian drones. His center-right, conservative United List alliance leads the polls, but his coalition is expected to be weakened as populist parties gain traction. Latvia, like Ukraine, is a former Soviet state with a significant ethnic Russian minority. However, Latvia is a member of both the European Union and NATO, providing a stronger defense posture compared to Ukraine.
Riga, Latvia's capital, is one of Kyiv's closest partners and supporters, having pledged to allocate at least 5% of its GDP to defense, which leaves less room for spending on other areas. The economy has been sluggish, with high prices and low wages exacerbating the situation. Latvia's health system is under strain, and the country faces the persistent challenges of an aging population and emigration.
Populist movements, such as the Sovereign Power/Young Latvians Alliance and the Latvia First party, have capitalized on discontent by advocating a less stringent stance towards Moscow. They argue that decoupling from Russia fully is detrimental to the economy. Despite this, no parties are proposing substantial changes to Latvia's clear foreign policy alignment with the EU and NATO.
In a security-oriented move, four German Eurofighter jets have been deployed to protect Latvia's airspace during the election, in response to a request from Riga. Once the ballots are counted, the focus will likely shift quickly to coalition negotiations, which could be lengthy and complex. Partial results are anticipated on Saturday evening, with official results to be released on Sunday.
Written by urgent.news from DW News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
