Latvian ruling coalition wins 35 percent in vote as talks begin for new government

Latvian lawmakers plan to start talks to form a new government after a parliamentary election where the governing coalition led by Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs secured 35% of the vote. Saturday's vote took place because a political crisis in May brought down the prior government over how it handled stray drones suspected of coming from Ukraine.

Election Details

Voter turnout crossed 51% in the country. Close to 1.56 million people out of a population above 1.8 million could vote to pick 100 members for the single-chamber parliament, known as the Saeima, for a four-year term. Parties need at least 5% of the vote to win seats, and the United List party is projected to get 42 seats in a splintered political landscape that requires a multiparty coalition to govern.

Context

Latvia shares borders with Russia and Belarus, and like its neighbors Lithuania and Estonia, it strongly backs Ukraine against the Russian invasion. The small nation sits on NATO's eastern flank and faces rising worry over potential Russian aggression.