New Coalition Government Takes Power; Immigration Rules Tighten
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Latvia's political landscape has seen a significant shift with the approval of a new four-party coalition government. Andris Kulbergs of the United List has taken office as Prime Minister, leading a caretaker administration until the scheduled general elections in October. This development follows the resignation of the previous Prime Minister, Evika Siliņa, in May 2026.
The new coalition comprises the New Unity, National Alliance, United List, and the Union of Greens and Farmers, with the left-wing Progressives now in opposition. Key political figure Ilze Indriksone, formerly a Prime Ministerial candidate, has been appointed as the Minister for Education and Science. Meanwhile, national airline airBaltic faces the task of fulfilling several conditions to secure a vital second installment of 125 million euros in funding.
In other domestic news, a scandal has surfaced concerning the residence permit of Yulia Menshova, a supporter of Russian propaganda, which is particularly relevant given a new immigration law that came into effect on September 15, 2026, introducing stricter rules and impacting renewals for Russian and Belarusian citizens based on certain investments. Separately, significant child rights violations have been uncovered at an orphanage in Latgale, prompting concerns.