Latvian PM Andris Kulbergs’ Party Wins Election Held Under the Shadow of the Ukraine War

Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs’ centrist, pro-Ukraine United List won Saturday’s parliamentary election by a bigger margin than expected, partial results show. With 88% of ballots counted, the party had 36.6%, well ahead of the populist, MAGA style Latvia First on 13.4%, which had courted the country’s large ethnic Russian minority. Pro Russian Sovereign Power took 11.6% in the exit poll and the nationalist National Alliance 9.1%. Kulbergs called the result remarkably good but said he would not govern with Latvia First, and he still needs coalition partners.

Security Concerns Drive Voters

The vote took place as the Baltic states warn of Russian sabotage, cyber and hybrid attacks, which Moscow calls anti-Russian hysteria. Kulbergs, 47, a businessman and amateur rally driver, took office in May after the previous coalition collapsed over stray drones entering Latvia. The drones were Ukrainian, but officials blame Russia for diverting them. He promises more anti-drone defenses and defense spending at 5% of GDP.

Pro-Kremlin Rivals and the Russian-Speaking Minority

Sovereign Power wants aid to Ukraine stopped and a focus on living costs, saying voters want peace. The ethnic Russian minority is split between anger over the war and frustration with domestic policies many view as discriminatory.