RIGA, Latvia (AP) – Latvian lawmakers on Sunday planned to begin negotiations to form a new government following a parliamentary election in which pro-Ukraine Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs’s four-party coalition emerged with 35% of the vote.
A political crisis in May over the handling of stray drones suspected of coming from Ukraine brought down the governing coalition that had been under strain over several other issues. The parliament, or Saeima, then approved the coalition led by Kulbergs of the centrist United List party, previously in opposition.
Latvia, like its Baltic neighbors Lithuania and Estonia, strongly supports Ukraine in its fight against Moscow’s invasion. It borders both Russia and Moscow-allied Belarus.
Saturday’s vote came as the small republic on NATO’s eastern flank contends with growing concern about potential Russian aggression.
The election saw a voter turnout above 51%, according to election data. Nearly 1.56 million people in the nation of more than 1.8 million were entitled to choose the 100 members of the single-chamber Saeima for a four-year term.
The United List party is expected to take 42 seats in parliament, and a multiparty coalition will be needed to govern in a splintered political landscape. Parties must take at least 5% of the vote to win parliamentary seats.