The Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, has lowered the voting age and minimum age for candidates in elections to the European Parliament as of 2029, ERR reports. The amendments will lower the voting age from the current 18 to 16 years and the minimum age for candidates from 21 to 18 years. MPs from the Estonian Reform…
The Latvian government has extended a ban on chartered bus tours to Russia and Belarus for one year until 31 October 2027, LSM reports. The ban applies to all bus operators, regardless of the country of registration of the vehicle. The government pointed to the need to ensure the safety of residents and the risk…
The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has passed urgent amendments to the law regulating the Latvian Public Service Media (LSM), LSM reports. Under the changes, LSM will be required to retain the historical names of its radio and TV channels, Latvijas Radio and Latvijas Televizija (LTV). Also, Latvijas Radio’s and LTV’s news services will have to…
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs suggested holding a consultative popular referendum on Latvia’s possible withdrawal from the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention on violence against women, LETA reports. Kulbergs said that the ruling United List had discussed the idea of a legally non-binding referendum on the question with President Edgars Rinkevics. Kulbergs said that referendum…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has approved in first reading a constitutional amendment that would abolish a ban on weapons of mass destruction, BNS reports. The amendment would allow deploying nuclear weapons on Lithuanian territory. Parliamentary speaker Juozas Olekas argued that removing the ban would strengthen Lithuania’s resilience and deterrence. Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said…
Altogether 12,294 Lithuanian citizens returned to Lithuania while 11,753 moved away from the country in the first nine months of 2026, according to the State Data Agency’s preliminary statistics, LRT reported. In September 2026, the number of emigrants was higher than that of returnees. Until now, the number of Lithuanians returning home has been higher…
Estonia’s former chancellor of justice, Ülle Madise, was sworn in as the country’s new president in the parliament, the Riigikogu, on 12 October 2026, ERR reports. She was elected to the office by the 101-member parliament with 71 votes on 2 September 2026. In her first speech as president, Madise noted that past attempts to…
The Estonian government has approved amendments to the law regulating the operations of the country’s public broadcaster, Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR), ERR reports. Culture Minister Heidy Purga said that the changes would bring the law into line with EU regulations. The amendments would introduce a four-year funding agreement for ERR and fixed-term contracts for editorial management….
The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has expanded an existing ban on the import of food from Russia and Belarus, LSM reports. The parliament passed in final reading urgent amendments that will ban the import of not just agricultural goods and animal feed but also food products of Russian and Belarusian origin. The ban will apply…
