Latvians head to the polls with Russia on their minds

Latvia goes to the polls for parliamentary elections on October 3, 2026. Image: Wojtek Radwanski/AFP

Four German Air Force Eurofighter jets stand ready at Latvia's Lielvarde military air base, just 60 kilometers from Riga. The aircraft are part of NATO's efforts to strengthen Baltic air defenses on the alliance's eastern flank ahead. Germany sent the jets amid repeated drone incursions, which have put Latvia on alert ahead of the country's elections on October 3.

Security has become one of the defining issues of this campaign — defense promises appearing on the programs of most of the leading parties in Latvia. And the Latvian public's anxieties aren't unfounded.

In recent months, several drones have entered Baltic airspace. The latest incident occurred on September 15 in Lithuania, when a drone believed to have crossed from Belarus was shot down by an NATO fighter jet.

On top of that there are hybrid threats, including migrant flows that Latvia and its neighbors say are being encouraged by Russia's ally Belarus to pressure the EU and test border security. Intelligence officials of several European countries, including Latvia and the Czech Republic have warned that Russia could seek to test NATO in the upcoming "months, not years."

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