Three political groups in the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, have signed an agreement on a new coalition government, BNS reports. The new ruling coalition will include the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP), the Union of Democrats for Lithuania, and the joint parliamentary group of the Lithuanian Union of Farmers and Greens and the Electoral Action…
Around 4,000 people attended the 20th annual Riga Pride parade in the Latvian capital, Riga, on 13 June 2026, LSM reported. Police said that the parade in the centre of Riga proceeded peacefully and without significant incidents. Participants noted that Latvian society was becoming more accepting of same-sex couples and diverse sexualities. Kaspars Zalitis, co-chair…
The number of marriages registered in Estonia totalled 5,998 in 2025, which was 363 fewer than in 2024, according to data from Statistics Estonia, ERR reported. The number of new marriages was the lowest since 2012. The first-marriage rate was 0.45 for men and 0.52 for women. The average age at first marriage was 31.8…
This year’s Baltic Pride parade was held in the Estonian capital, Tallinn, on 6 June 2026, ERR reports. The parade progressed through Tallinn’s Old Town and ended with an open-air concert at the Telliskivi Creative City. This year’s theme was “silence will not defeat hate,” emphasising the need to speak up and take action against…
Estonia ensures much better protection for LGBT rights than Latvia and Lithuania, according to human rights group ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map, which ranks countries based on their legal and policy protection for LGBT people, LSM reports. Estonia ranked 21st on the index with a score of 46.37% on a scale of 0-100% in 2026, which was…
The overwhelming majority, or 81%, of Estonians believe that their country should always offer armed resistance if attacked by another state, according to an Emor survey for the Ministry of Defence, ERR reports. Around 50% of residents believe that Estonia can defend itself until allied assistance arrives. Also, 62% of residents are willing to take…
Latvia’s prime minister nominee, MP Andris Kulbergs of the opposition party alliance, United List, has announced the composition of his incoming four-party coalition government, LSM reports. The Kulbergs cabinet would have 14 male and just 2 female ministers. The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, will vote on approving the government on 28 May 2026. Besides Kulbergs…
The Baltic States are likely to see a more than 2% decline in GDP per year due to poor mental health over 2025-2050, according to a new report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), ERR reports. The projected drop in GDP in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania will be the highest of all…
The share of people with or without disabilities who felt discriminated against in administrative offices and public services is the EU’s highest in Estonia, according to survey data from Eurostat, LSM reports. As many as 14.6% of people with disabilities perceived discrimination when interacting with public administration or accessing public services in Estonia in 2024,…