Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs, whose party won the most votes in last month’s parliamentary elections, said on Sunday that his United List had reached an agreement to form a two-party governing coalition with the National Alliance.
The deal would give the two parties a one-seat majority in Latvia’s 100-member parliament, the prime minister’s office said in a statement. Policy negotiations and talks over cooperation terms are continuing, and the new government must still win a parliamentary confidence vote before taking office.
Election outcome
Kulbergs’s United List finished first in the October parliamentary vote, giving him the first chance to assemble a government. The National Alliance, a right-wing party, emerged as the chosen coalition partner after weeks of talks.
Together the two parties hold 51 of the 100 seats in the Saeima, Latvia’s unicameral parliament, enough to pass ordinary legislation but a narrow margin that leaves little room for dissent.
What comes next
Before the government can be sworn in, the proposed cabinet and its programme must survive a confidence vote. Coalition leaders said details of policy priorities and ministerial posts were still being discussed.
The outcome will shape Latvia's stance on a range of issues, including defence spending, relations with European Union partners, and economic policy at a time of high inflation and energy costs across the Baltic region.
Regional context
Latvia, a NATO and EU member, shares a border with Russia and has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine since the full-scale invasion in 2022. The new government's foreign and security policies will be watched closely in Brussels, Washington and Moscow.
The coalition talks also take place against a backdrop of political fragmentation across the Baltic states, where smaller parties have gained ground and stable majorities have become harder to build.
