It seems that Latvia has never experienced such serious concerns about how the elections will go and whether there will be unpleasant surprises. The reasons lie in both the technical malfunctions that occurred during the local elections in 2025 and the growing external threat.
Cyberattacks, along with the spread of disinformation, are considered one of the most significant risks of external influence on elections. Russia's attempts to interfere in the politics of other countries, including electoral processes, have long been no secret. This usually manifests in attempts to tip the scales in favor of a party that aligns better with the Kremlin's interests. Or simply in creating a local political crisis and thereby weakening support for Ukraine.
Recently, various experts have often stated that Russia is currently not ready for direct confrontation and war with NATO, but the likelihood of various hybrid operations is correspondingly higher. How can we be sure that the Saeima elections scheduled for the fall will not be used for this?
"We live in such an interesting time, society is concerned, and of course, this affects the elections. We at the Central Election Commission (CEC) are also worried, but despite all the risks that we have been able to foresee and implement, we have a Plan B," says CEC Chairman Maris Zvidris. He adds: "We ask ourselves - what else could happen, what should we prepare for? I would be glad if someone pointed out another possible problem right now. That would mean we still have time to prevent it. If we knew where to place a safety cushion, we would definitely place it."
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