Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa Resigns Amid Coalition Dispute Over Ukrainian Drone Incidents

Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa has announced her resignation following the collapse of her governing coalition, a crisis triggered by disputes over recent drone incidents in Latvian airspace. The immediate catalyst was the forced resignation of Defense Minister Andris Sprūds, whom Siliņa dismissed after two Ukrainian drones, reportedly diverted by Russia while targeting a port near St. Petersburg, crashed in Latvia. One drone struck an oil depot in Rēzekne, causing a fire. Siliņa attempted to replace Sprūds with military colonel Raivis Melnis rather than a nominee from her coalition partner, the left-wing Progressive Party. This move led the Progressives to withdraw confidence and request new government consultations from President Edgars Rinkēvičs, stripping Siliņa of her parliamentary majority. Under the Latvian constitution, the Prime Minister's resignation dissolves the entire cabinet, though it will remain in office until a successor is confirmed. Siliņa, who assumed leadership in September 2023, described the decision as difficult but necessary. The incident underscores the security challenges faced by Baltic NATO members supporting Ukraine, with new parliamentary elections scheduled for October 3rd.