Latvia’s National Alliance party, which is part of the current coalition government, has been embroiled in controversy due to accusations of racist messaging, LSM reports. First, a woman claimed that she was sexually assaulted by people of Indian or Pakistani origin, after which National Alliance representatives, including Interior Minister Janis Dombrava and Riga deputy mayor…
The number of children aged 0-17 years in Latvia totalled 334,233 in the beginning of 2026, which was down 2.7% from 343,555 a year earlier, according to the Central Statistical Bureau’s (CSP) data, LSM reported. Children accounted for 18.1% (18.5%) of Latvia’s population. The number of boys amounted to 171,836 (176,322) and girls to 162,486…
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs criticised Interior Minister Janis Dombrava for a letter that the minister had sent to Spain over the recent border crisis in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, LETA reported. According to LTV, Spanish officials were irritated with Dombrava’s letter, which they found patronising and arrogant, LSM reported. Spanish officials expressed disappointment…
Latvia will not close its border with Belarus for now, the Latvian government announced, LSM reports. The border checkpoint in Patarnieki, Latvia’s only remaining land border crossing with Belarus, was closed for “technical reasons” on 31 July 2026. As a result, hundreds of trucks are stuck at the border crossing, LSM reports. The Ministry of…
The Latvian government has asked the State Chancellery to conduct a comprehensive analysis of state funding for non-governmental organisations (NGOs), LETA reports. Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs alleged that NGOs were wasting taxpayer money, LSM reported. He suggested that state funding for NGOs created a conflict of interest, insisting that NGOs should not depend on state…
Over a quarter of people in the Baltic States could not afford one week of annual holiday travel away from home in 2025, according to Eurostat data, LSM reports. In Lithuania, 30.9% of residents could not afford one week of holiday travel in 2025, which was down from 32.2% in 2024. The corresponding share was…
Latvia’s United List alliance has become the country’s most popular political group, according to a new SKDS poll for LTV conducted in July 2026, LSM reports. Support for United List stood at 12.2%, which was up from 9.8% in the previous poll in June 2026. The non-parliamentary electoral alliance of Sovereign Power and Alliance of…
The director of Latvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB), Jekabs Straume, has announced his early retirement, effective immediately, LSM reports. Speaking in an interview with LTV, Straume said that he was retiring because he had turned 50. Straume led KNAB since June 2017 and was appointed for a second five-year term in June 2022….
Latvia has closed its border with Belarus for “technical reasons,” Interior Minister Janis Dombrava announced late on 31 July 2026, LSM reports. A day earlier, Dombrava urged Latvian residents not to travel across the border to or from Belarus. Kristine Petersone, spokesperson for Latvia’s State Border Guard (VRS), said that the border was closed due…
