Latvia Holds Parliamentary Elections Amid Russian Threat Concerns

WHO:

ABC News - Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs is seeking a full term.

ABC News - Jānis Artis Briedis and Reinholds Pirags are voters in Riga.

ABC News - The Latvian State Security Service is monitoring the election.

WHAT:

ABC News - Latvians are electing a new parliament.

ABC News - The parliament, or Saeima, consists of 100 members.

ABC News - Nearly 1.56 million people are entitled to vote.

ABC News - Polls are expected to close at 1700 GMT.

ABC News - A multiparty coalition will likely be needed to govern.

WHERE:

ABC News - The elections are taking place in Latvia, specifically in Riga.

ABC News - Latvia is located on NATO's eastern flank and borders Russia and Belarus.

WHEN:

ABC News - The elections are scheduled for Saturday.

WHY:

ABC News - The elections are occurring amid concerns about potential Russian aggression and hybrid attacks.

ABC News - A political crisis in May led to the formation of a new governing coalition.

HOW:

ABC News - NATO has reinforced Latvian airspace with four Eurofighter jets from Germany for the election period.

ABC News - Parties must receive at least 5% of the vote to win parliamentary seats.

(UPDATED October 3, 2026 19:50 UTC)

Latvians are preparing to elect a new parliament, known as the Saeima, with nearly 1.56 million people entitled to vote, and polls are set to close at 1700 GMT on Saturday. Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs is seeking a full term, while the Latvian State Security Service is closely monitoring the election amid concerns about potential Russian aggression. NATO has also reinforced Latvian airspace with four Eurofighter jets from Germany to ensure security during this critical period.