Polls opened in Latvia on Saturday for a parliamentary election shaped by fears of Russian aggression and a cost-of-living squeeze, the first electoral test for Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs since he took office in May.
Mr. Kulbergs came to power after his predecessor, Evika Silina, resigned following a backlash over Latvia’s handling of stray drone incursions spilling over from the war in Ukraine.
Whatever the outcome, the country is not expected to shift its pro-Europe and pro-Ukraine course. But coalition negotiations could be messy, and forming a stable government may prove the harder task.
Surveys ahead of the vote pointed to Mr. Kulbergs retaining power, with many voters unsettled by warnings of potential Russian aggression in the Baltic region, where Latvia is a member of both the European Union and NATO. A Reuters report from Daugavpils, the largely Russian-speaking city in the country’s east, described an electorate wary of Moscow’s intentions even as airspace violations have multiplied along the border.
The collapse of Ms. Silina’s coalition came after a succession of unmanned aircraft incidents that left the government facing criticism over its response.
The economy adds a second strain. Voters are going to the polls with the cost of living pressing on household budgets, giving challengers a line of attack against the governing United List party.
Campaign posters in Riga carried the message “Kulbergs is the solution,” according to Reuters. Whether voters agree was being counted late Saturday.