Latvia
The story
Latvia's post-1991 party system began in turbulence — many short-lived parties, frequent splits and mergers, unclear ideologies. Nationalist parties from the independence movement's more radical wing appeared early: For Fatherland and Freedom (TB/LNNK), which held that the Soviet occupation had nullified Soviet-era citizenship, became an important party in the 1990s, receiving almost 15% in 1998 before merging with All For Latvia in 2010 to form the National Alliance (NA) — in government continuously from 2011 to 2023, and back in government from May 2026 in the coalition led by Andris Kulbergs.
2011–2026 · The National Alliance in office
Long participation in government has mainstreamed NA and diluted its anti-elite rhetoric, even as its policies — ending Russian-language education, reducing Russian's public presence, removing Soviet-era monuments — have become broadly mainstream themselves. Consistently the most anti-Russian party in parliament, NA has grown more radical in response, at times floating the compulsory relocation of pro-Kremlin Russian speakers. It remains anti-immigration and socially conservative, but market-friendly and only softly eurosceptic. NA returned to government in May 2026 and won 8.9% and ten seats in the October 2026 parliamentary election, a weaker result than in 2022.
2018–2022 · A wave of new populists
Who Owns The State (KPV) won 16 seats in 2018 and entered government, but quickly collapsed into infighting and was voted out in 2022 under a new name — its rhetoric echoed Donald Trump, and its PM candidate publicly threatened to "personally fire" journalists. Latvia First, formed in 2021 by businessman Ainārs Šlesers, rode pandemic-restriction backlash into parliament with six percent in 2022. For Stability!, founded the same year on anti-vaccine messaging aimed at Russian-speaking voters, took a pro-Russian line after 2022's invasion and won 6.9 percent.
2021- · LATVIA FIRST
Latvia First (LPV), founded in 2021 by businessman and former minister Ainārs Šlesers, entered parliament in 2022 with around six percent and nine seats, helped by opposition to COVID-19 restrictions. It mixes economic nationalism, social conservatism, anti-establishment rhetoric and tougher immigration positions. It won 6.2 percent and one seat in the 2024 European election and joined Patriots for Europe. It is more ambiguous on Russia than the mainstream, favouring negotiations and refusing to condemn Orbán’s contacts with Putin.
Its support rose sharply ahead of the October 2026 election, when it won around 13% and became the second-largest party, although Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs ruled out governing with it.
2021-2026 · FOR STABILITY!
For Stability! (S!), founded in 2021 and led by Aleksejs Rosļikovs, grew out of opposition to COVID-19 restrictions and targeted Latvia’s Russian-speaking voters, filling space once held by Harmony. It combines anti-establishment populism, social conservatism and demands for Russian-language rights. It won 6.9 percent and eleven seats in 2022, the larger of the two new populist parties. Its stance on Russia and Ukraine breaks with the Latvian mainstream and differs sharply from the ethnonationalist National Alliance.
In 2026 Rosļikovs left Latvia for Belarus while facing criminal proceedings for alleged incitement of ethnic hatred, and stepped down as chairman in April. In the October 2026 election the party won only 2.0% and lost all its seats.
2022- · SOVEREIGN POWER
Sovereign Power (SV), founded in 2022 and led by Jūlija Stepaņenko, grew out of the COVID-19 protest movement. It missed parliament in 2022 and won 2.6 percent in the 2024 European election, but allied with the Alliance of Young Latvians, broke through in the 2025 Riga municipal election and won 11.7% in the October 2026 parliamentary election, becoming the third-largest list. Right-wing populist and socially conservative, it backs Russian-language schooling and easier naturalisation, economic nationalism and more referendums. It opposes the Green Deal, military spending and conscription, implying hostility to current Ukraine support.
EP elections
TB/LNNK sat in the Union for Europe of the Nations group before joining the newly founded ECR group in 2009. NA won two of Latvia's nine seats in 2024 with 22.1%, its best European result. Latvia First won one seat (6.2%) and joined Patriots for Europe.
NA
National Alliance
- Economics Right
- Social issues Conservative
- EU Soft euroscepticism
- Authoritarianism Low
LPV
Latvia First
- Economics Centre
- Social issues Conservative
- EU Soft euroscepticism
- Authoritarianism Medium
S!
For Stability!
- Economics Centre
- Social issues Conservative
- EU Hard euroscepticism
- Authoritarianism Medium
SV
Sovereign Power
- Economics Centre
- Social issues Conservative
- EU Soft euroscepticism
- Authoritarianism Medium