Latvia’s political landscape was upended this week after Prime Minister Evika Silina, who had led the Baltic nation since September 2023, announced her resignation on May 14, 2026. The move came after the collapse of her coalition government, triggered by a political crisis involving stray Ukrainian drones and a contentious ministerial dismissal. The timing, just months before parliamentary elections scheduled for October, has thrown the country’s leadership into uncertainty and raised questions about Latvia’s defense readiness and political stability.
Silina, representing the center-right New Unity party, made her decision public in a televised address and reiterated her stance online. “I am resigning, but I am not giving up,” she declared, emphasizing her commitment to Latvia’s security and well-being. She added, “Parties and coalitions change, but Latvia endures. And my responsibility to society comes above all else.” According to Reuters, Silina’s resignation means her government will continue in a caretaker capacity until a new Cabinet is approved.
The immediate cause of the crisis was the fallout from a series of drone incidents that have plagued Latvia and its Baltic neighbors since March 2026. On May 7, three suspected Ukrainian drones entered Latvian airspace, with one crashing into an oil storage facility near Rezekne and another causing a fire at a disused site in eastern Latvia. The third drone flew in and out of Latvian airspace. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported. However, the incidents exposed gaps in Latvia’s air defense systems and sparked public criticism over the official response, particularly a one-hour delay in activating cell broadcast alerts after the crash near Rezekne, as reported by BBC.
Silina’s government, a three-party coalition consisting of her New Unity party, the agrarian ZZS Union of Greens and Farmers, and the left-leaning Progressives, had already been under strain over various policies. The coalition’s fragility was laid bare when Silina dismissed Defence Minister Andris Spruds of the Progressives, blaming him for not developing anti-drone systems quickly enough and for the defense sector’s failure to ensure “safe skies over our country.” She said after the incident, “Something went wrong. We cannot afford for this situation to continue.” Silina temporarily assumed the role of interim defense minister herself.
The Progressives, holding nine seats in Latvia’s parliament, saw the dismissal as scapegoating. In protest, they withdrew their support for the coalition on May 13, leaving Silina without a parliamentary majority. This withdrawal not only led to the government’s collapse but also set the stage for an early start to the election campaign, months ahead of the scheduled October vote. As DW noted, the coalition’s slim majority had always depended on the participation of all three parties, and the loss of the Progressives was a fatal blow.
Latvia, a NATO and EU member, has been among the staunchest supporters of Ukraine in its war against Russia. The country spends 5% of its GDP on national defense, a figure Silina cited as necessitating “a much higher level of responsibility toward society… that requires clear results.” The drone incidents, widely believed to be the result of Russian electronic warfare diverting Ukrainian UAVs from their intended targets, have raised alarm not just in Latvia but across the Baltic region. On May 10, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that “the incidents in Latvia were the result of Russian electronic warfare deliberately diverting Ukrainian drones from their targets in Russia,” and he offered Ukraine’s assistance to the Baltic states and Finland to help detect and prevent such occurrences in the future.
The Latvian Army’s failure to detect the drones before they entered from Russia was acknowledged by military leadership and cited by Silina as a key reason for Spruds’s dismissal. Both Latvia and Ukraine recognized that the drones were likely Ukrainian UAVs intended for Russian targets, whose signals had been jammed, causing them to stray off course. The incidents have led to domestic criticism of Latvia’s preparedness to respond to military threats and have fueled debate over the effectiveness of the country’s defense investments.
Amid the political turmoil, President Edgars Rinkevics, who is constitutionally tasked with appointing a new head of government, has scheduled meetings with representatives from all parliamentary parties for May 15. As Al Jazeera reported, Rinkevics is expected to move quickly to form a new government, given the caretaker status of Silina’s outgoing administration and the looming general election.
The drama in Riga’s corridors of power has been further complicated by a separate high-profile corruption investigation. Around the same time as Silina’s resignation, two senior Latvian officials—Minister for Agriculture Armands Krauze and State Chancellery Director Raivis Kronbergs—were detained by the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB). The probe, described by local media as the most significant in Latvia’s history, centers on the alleged misuse of authority and the illegal allocation of government aid to companies in the timber sector. Timber processing is a cornerstone of Latvia’s economy, with forests covering 53% of the country’s territory and the industry valued at €3.3 billion, according to Latvia’s Investment and Development Agency. The arrests have only added to the sense of upheaval in Latvian politics.
Public sentiment remains volatile. In a recent SKDS/LSM opinion poll, the Progressives ranked as the second most popular party nationally with 6.9% voter approval, ahead of New Unity, which stood at 5.9%. The opposition Latvia First party led the poll with 8.9%, but a significant 26.1% of voters were undecided, and 16.2% expressed no intention to vote. This uncertainty reflects the broader anxiety about Latvia’s direction amid regional security threats and internal political strife.
Silina’s resignation and the government’s collapse come at a time when Latvia, like its Baltic neighbors Lithuania and Estonia, is accelerating defense upgrades and reintroducing compulsory military service in response to perceived Russian aggression. The recent drone incidents have only heightened these concerns, making defense and security central issues in the upcoming election campaign.
As Latvia prepares for a new chapter, the nation faces both immediate and long-term challenges: restoring political stability, strengthening defense capabilities, and maintaining public trust in democratic institutions. The coming weeks will determine not only the composition of the next government but also the country’s ability to navigate a turbulent regional environment with resilience and unity.