Latvia's Pro-Ukraine United List Wins Parliamentary Election by Wide Margin
In the early results from Latvia's parliamentary elections on Saturday, Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs' centrist party, the United List, gained an unexpected lead with 36.6 percent of the votes counted at 88 percent. Meanwhile, the Latvia First party, which focused on the large ethnic Russian demographic, garnered only 13.4 percent. However, Kulbergs will need to form a coalition to create a government, as shown by these initial figures. Concerns about potential Russian aggression have heightened voter anxiety. For months, Baltic states have warned about Russia's hybrid tactics aimed at destabilizing support for Ukraine, though Western officials are skeptical about the risk of a direct attack on NATO, which includes Latvia. Russia, on its part, dismisses these assertions as baseless.
Key facts
- Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs' United List party won Saturday's parliamentary election by an unexpectedly wide margin
- With 88 per cent of ballots counted, United List was on 36.6 per cent
- The populist, Maga-style Latvia First party was second with 13.4 per cent
- Latvia First had courted the country's substantial ethnic Russian minority before the vote
- Kulbergs will still need coalition allies to form a government, according to partial results
- Many voters were on edge amid warnings of potential Russian aggression
- Baltic countries have warned for months that Russia is mounting sabotage, cyber and other hybrid attacks across Europe
- Western officials dismiss concerns that Moscow is capable of launching a direct assault on Nato, of which Latvia is a member
- Russia says such accusations are baseless and the result of anti-Russian hysteria
Entities
Artists
- Andris Kulbergs
Institutions
- United List
- Latvia First
- Nato
- NATO
- New Unity
- Union of Greens and Farmers
- National Alliance
- SKDS institute
- South China Morning Post
Locations
- Latvia
- Russia
- Europe
- Ukraine