Latvia began voting on Saturday with approximately 1.5 million voters in its eleventh parliamentary election since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Key Election Issues
In this election, 100 seats in the Saeima will be contested by 14 parties using a proportional system. The cost of living and national security concerns in this small Baltic country, which borders Russia and Belarus, are the main topics of this election.
Andris Kulbergs, the current Prime Minister of Latvia, has been in office since May, and prior to that, the previous government collapsed due to disagreements over Ukrainian drones. His center-right and conservative coalition, known as the United List, was leading in polls before the voting, but it is expected that his coalition will perform weaker than before as populist parties are on the rise.
Economic and Social Challenges
The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine is considered a direct threat to Latvia's national security. Latvia, like Ukraine, is a former Soviet country with a significant minority of Russian speakers. However, unlike Ukraine, Latvia is a member of the European Union and NATO.
Riga is one of Kyiv's closest partners and has legally committed to allocating at least 5 percent of its GDP to defense, leaving less room for other expenditures. Many Latvians complain about high prices and low wages, and economic troubles, a strained healthcare system, and an aging population are ongoing challenges.
Populist movements like the ruling power coalition/Young Latvians and the Latvia First party have attempted to exploit discontent by adopting a less hardline approach towards Moscow and arguing that complete economic separation from Russia is harmful. However, none of the parties have proposed significant deviations from Latvia's clear foreign policy in coordination with the EU and NATO.
In fact, four German Eurofighter jets have been deployed at Riga's request to protect Latvia's airspace during the elections. After the votes are counted, attention will turn to coalition negotiations, which could be lengthy and complex. Partial results are expected on Saturday night, and preliminary official results will be released on Sunday.
