Latvian legislators were set to commence discussions on Sunday to establish a new government post a parliamentary election where Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs’s four-party coalition, known for its pro-Ukraine stance, secured 35% of the total votes.
In May, a political turmoil ensued over the management of stray drones believed to be originating from Ukraine, leading to the collapse of the existing coalition government, which was already under pressure due to various other issues. Subsequently, the parliament, also known as Saeima, sanctioned the coalition spearheaded by Kulbergs from the centrist United List party, which was previously in the opposition ranks.
Latvia, akin to its Baltic counterparts Lithuania and Estonia, firmly backs Ukraine in its resistance against Moscow’s incursion, given its proximity to both Russia and the Russia-aligned Belarus.
The election turnout surpassed 51%, as per electoral records. Out of over 1.8 million citizens, nearly 1.56 million were eligible to elect the 100 Saeima members for a term of four years.
The United List party is poised to secure 42 parliamentary seats, necessitating a multi-party coalition to govern the fragmented political environment. Political entities must garner a minimum of five percent of the votes to secure seats in the parliament.
Saturday’s polling took place amidst heightened apprehensions regarding potential Russian hostilities toward the small NATO-affiliated republic situated on the alliance’s eastern border.