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Latest news on Latvia (Republic of Latvia), covering Latvian politics, the Saeima, government, the economy, defence, NATO, Russia and Baltic security, society and current affairs from Riga, Daugavpils, Liepāja, Jelgava, Jūrmala, Ventspils, Rēzekne and the regions of Kurzeme, Latgale, Vidzeme and Zemgale.

Latvia is one of the three Baltic states, on the Baltic Sea, bordering Estonia, Lithuania, Belarus and Russia. About 1.9 million people live there, roughly a third of them in Riga, the capital and largest city. Latvia joined NATO and the European Union in 2004 and adopted the euro in 2014.

Latvia is a parliamentary republic. The 100-seat Saeima elects the president, and Edgars Rinkēvičs has held the office since 2023. Latvia politics is a story of multi-party coalitions, where governments and prime ministers change often, and social issues such as the debate over the Istanbul Convention divide opinion.

Russia's war in Ukraine has made security the defining issue. Latvia has raised defence spending to among the highest shares of GDP in NATO, reintroduced conscription in 2023 and hosts a multinational NATO brigade at Ādaži. Border security with Russia and Belarus, airspace incidents and disinformation are regular headlines.

The Latvia economy rests on services, transport and logistics through the ports of Riga, Ventspils and Liepāja, as well as timber, agriculture and technology. Challenges include inflation, energy costs, emigration and an ageing, shrinking population. The Rail Baltica link to Poland and Lithuania is a major, much-debated infrastructure project.

Society blends ethnic Latvians with a large Russian-speaking minority, which keeps language, citizenship and education policy in the news. Culture ranges from the Song and Dance Festival tradition to Riga's Art Nouveau architecture and the Midsummer celebrations. Independent in 1918, Latvia endured Soviet and Nazi occupation from 1940, and regained independence in 1991 after the Singing Revolution.

Our NewsNow feed on Latvia is constantly updated with the most relevant headlines from reliable sources. Whether you follow Latvian politics, the economy, defence or social issues, this feed gives you comprehensive Latvia news and current affairs from Riga and across the country.