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…
Estonia’s liberal coalition party, Estonia 200 (E200), will not merge with the small non-parliamentary party, Estonian Greens (EER), ERR reports. E200’s council met to discuss the issue on 18 October 2026. E200 chief spokesman Johannes Merilai said that a merger would add nothing to E200’s core identity. Also, he noted that EER’s policies differed from…
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…
Latvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has opened an administrative inquiry into financial gifts that Julija Stepanenko, leader of the pro-Russian opposition party, Sovereign Power, received from her father, Russian businessman Sergey Fedotov, Baltic News Network reports. Earlier, Stepanenko declared having received EUR 420,000 in gifts from her father, whose company has supplied equipment…
The Lithuanian government has approved the draft state budget for 2027, BNS reports. Budget revenue, including EU funds, is expected at nearly EUR 22.2bn, which would be up 5.2% from 2026, BNS reports. Budget spending will total EUR 27.9bn, up 1.3% over a year. The State Social Insurance Fund’s (SoDra) revenue is projected at nearly…
The Chinese embassy in Estonia has sent a diplomatic note to the country’s parliament, the Riigikogu, protesting the participation of Estonian MPs at a reception celebrating Taiwan’s National Day in Tallinn, ERR reports. Altogether eight MPs from various parties attended the event, which was organised by Taiwan’s representative office in Latvia. The Chinese embassy suggested…
Altogether six political groups managed to win seats in Latvia’s 100-member parliament in elections that concluded on 3 October 2026, LSM reports. Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs’s centre-right United List won an overwhelming victory, more than tripling its number of MPs from 13 to 41. The far-right populist opposition party, Latvia First (LPV), doubled its seat…
Lithuania’s Foreign Minister, Kestutis Budrys, has assured Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius that he has no intention to run for president, ELTA reports. Speaking in an interview with 15min, Budrys said that public speculation about his possible presidential bid had made both his work and his life more difficult, casting a shadow on his ministerial actions…
The Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, has elected Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise as the country’s next president for a five-year term, ERR reports. Madise received 71 votes in the first round of voting in the 101-member parliament. She was the only candidate. MPs of the opposition Estonian Centre Party and Conservative People’s Party of Estonia…
