Latvia Forms New Pro-Western Government Amid Drone Security Concerns]

Latvia’s parliament has approved a new coalition government to lead the European Union and NATO member state following the collapse of its predecessor amid a dispute over drone incidents suspected to originate from Ukraine.

By a vote of 66 deputies in the 100-seat assembly, lawmakers on Thursday confirmed 47-year-old centrist Andris Kulbergs as prime minister, who will govern the Baltic nation of over 1.8 million people until parliamentary elections in October.

Evika Silina resigned in mid-May after one of her coalition partners withdrew support, leaving her without a majority. She stepped down after Defence Minister Andris Spruds, from the Progressives Party, was forced to resign over the government’s handling of multiple incidents involving stray drones crossing into Latvian territory from Ukraine.

Silina accused Spruds of failing to deploy anti-drone defenses quickly enough against two wayward Ukrainian attack drones, which are believed to have been knocked off course by Russian jamming. At the time, she lost confidence in Spruds and the public’s trust. However, her three-party coalition had been struggling with multiple issues for months.

The drones caused minimal damage but raised significant concerns in the former Soviet republic, now a NATO and EU member.

Earlier this month, President Edgars Rinkevics endorsed opposition lawmaker Kulbergs to replace Silina as prime minister.

“The government’s duty is to ensure Latvia’s security in all its dimensions—guaranteeing national external security, economic security, energy security, and citizens’ sense of personal safety,” Kulbergs stated ahead of Thursday’s parliamentary vote.

Kulbergs confirmed outgoing foreign minister Baiba Braze will retain her position and appointed military officer Colonel Raivis Melnis as defense minister.

Several Russian and Ukrainian drones have crashed in Latvia, along with neighboring Lithuania and Estonia, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has offered to send experts to assist Latvia in strengthening its air defenses.

The new four-party coalition should command a solid parliamentary majority and pursue a strongly pro-EU, pro-NATO agenda. Coalition parties have emphasized the need to reinforce military capabilities and border security for the country’s 1.8 million residents.

“There is broad consensus on foreign policy priorities,” political scientist Nils Muiznieks told AFP, noting the new government is also likely to maintain strong solidarity with Ukraine.

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