Voting has opened in Latvia for a parliamentary election taking place against a backdrop of heightened concerns about Russia, the war in Ukraine and national security. Around 1.5 million voters are eligible to elect the 100 members of the country's parliament, the Saeima.
Latvia, a member of both NATO and the European Union, shares borders with Russia and Belarus. Security concerns have become a major issue in the campaign following several drone incidents involving Latvian airspace. Latvian authorities have also warned about possible Russian disinformation, cyberattacks and other forms of interference, although the country's State Security Service says it has not identified significant and systematic foreign attempts to influence the election so far.
The election is also being shaped by rising living costs, healthcare and economic difficulties. The political landscape is fragmented, with 14 parties and alliances contesting the 100 parliamentary seats.
Polling stations are scheduled to remain open until 8 p.m. local time, with preliminary results expected later on Saturday and official preliminary results due on Sunday.