5 October 2026
“You cannot say we want to leave NATO. You cannot say we want to leave the European Union. These are nonstarters.” Krišjānis Kariņš, former Latvian Prime Minister, joined TVP World to break down the most decisive election result in Latvia's history since 1918, with the United List winning over 35% of the vote and 41 out of 100 seats. Kariņš explained who won, why traditional parties collapsed, and what coalition options are now on the table. He walked through the math behind three possible governments and the trade-offs each carries, from the golden visa dispute to differences on how far Latvia should go in doing business with Russia. On foreign policy, his message is clear: whoever governs Latvia, NATO commitments, EU membership and support for Ukraine are not up for debate. No party in parliament will challenge that. But he also raises a note of caution. The new prime minister has already moved against NGOs and taken aim at public media in his first months as caretaker. Kariņš says it sounds appealing on the surface but points to early signs of a more populist governing style that bears watching. He also addresses the declining influence of pro-Moscow parties, which have gone from around 24 seats to 15, and argues that Latvia's Russian-speaking community is integrating well, with national identity no longer a defining fault line in domestic politics. Host: Ashim Kumar #latvia #election #populism #nato #russia
