Overview
- The Saeima voted to confirm Andris Kulbergs on Thursday to lead a centre‑right coalition that holds 66 of 101 seats and will govern until the parliamentary election on October 3.
- The coalition brings together the United List, ZZS, New Unity and the National Alliance and must balance short‑term security steps with campaigning before the October vote.
- Two Ukrainian drones that crossed from Russia into Latvia on May 7 crashed in Latvian territory, with one striking an oil depot near Rēzekne and triggering the political crisis that toppled the previous cabinet.
- Ukraine has expressed regret, said it did not deliberately direct drones over the Baltics and offered help to strengthen Latvia’s air defences, while Russia has made accusations that the three Baltic presidents jointly called disinformation.
- The incoming cabinet names non‑partisan colonel Raivis Melnis as proposed defence minister and keeps Baiba Braže at foreign ministry, and it faces broader pressures from demographic decline and a fragile security environment on the Latvia–Russia border.