Latvia’s parliamentary election kicks off, Ukraine-Russia war and national defense become focus

(Central News Agency, Riga, Comprehensive Foreign News Report on the 3rd) Under the shadow of drone invasion and the Russia-Ukraine war, Latvia's parliamentary election kicked off today. Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs, who supports Ukraine, is expected to remain in power, but serious political differences may make it more difficult for him to form a governing coalition.

Reuters reported that in the Baltic Sea region where Latvia is a member of NATO and the European Union, officials have repeatedly warned of possible Russian aggression. In addition, frequent airspace incursions related to the Russia-Ukraine war have made many voters in the local country worried.

Moscow has denied that it is planning to attack NATO, calling the accusations baseless, and Western officials have said that Russia currently does not have the ability to launch a direct attack, but related security concerns have become a core issue in Latvia's parliamentary elections.

Polls show that the "United List" led by centrist Prime Minister Kuhlberg is temporarily in the lead with an approval rate of 14%, followed by the pro-Russian party "Sovereign Power" (Sovereign Power).

Kuhlbergs, 47, an entrepreneur and amateur rally driver, took office in May this year. The previous ruling coalition disbanded due to improper handling of an incident in which a military drone accidentally entered Latvian airspace.

"We must now provide Ukraine with all the necessary supplies so that they can gain the upper hand and win," Kuhlbergs told Reuters in an interview in September.

He also promised to strengthen Latvia's ability to counter drones and maintain defense spending at 5% of gross domestic product (GDP).

However, pro-Russian opponent Julia Stepanenko advocated that Latvia should stop any aid to Ukraine and instead focus on people's livelihood issues, especially the domestic Russian-speaking community. "The war cannot be fueled in any way, including through financial support... Ukraine must win, but only through peace negotiations," he said.

The Latvian Parliament (Saeima) election started at 8 a.m. local time on the 3rd (1 p.m. Taiwan time) and ended at 8 p.m. Voters will elect a total of 100 members of Congress for four-year terms. Preliminary results are expected within hours, with final results likely to become clear after midnight.

Polls show that at least two parties are expected to win seats in Congress, including the populist "Latvia First" party with a slogan similar to "Make America Great Again" (MAGA), and the left-wing Progressive Party (Progressives), which is more popular among young voters.