Parliamentary Elections In Latvia: 60% Of Latvians Do Not Want To Be Dependent On Russia

Latvian political parties view Russia and Belarus as a threat.

Parliamentary elections will be held in Latvia on October 3, and the issue of the Russian threat has become one of the main topics of the campaign. Russia’s war against Ukraine and concerns about the security of the Baltic states are having a noticeable impact on the election campaign, according to DW.

In recent months, several Russian drones have crossed the airspace of the Baltic states. Germany has deployed four Eurofighter jets to Latvia to bolster NATO’s eastern flank air defense.

“If Russia wants to test NATO, there’s no better place than the Baltic states,” said geopolitical expert Maris Andzanis.

Most of Latvia’s leading political parties view Russia and Belarus as a threat. Latvia has also enshrined in law a commitment to allocate 5% of GDP to defense. The country plans to strengthen its military and cooperation with NATO allies regardless of the election results.

At the same time, Moscow remains more than just a security issue for Latvia. Since the start of the full-scale war, imports from Russia and Belarus have fallen by more than 90%. However, some voters are concerned about the economic consequences of severing previous ties.

Sixty percent of Latvians want to further reduce dependence on Russia, while 20% favor closer economic ties.

“Russia is not only a military threat but also a factor that has influenced Latvia’s economy and public life for years,” the article states.

The issue is perceived as particularly acute by a segment of the Russian-speaking population, which is dissatisfied with the diminishing role of the Russian language in education and public life.

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