Two in a Boat, Not Counting... Official Consultations on Power Sharing in Latvia Have Begun

Yesterday, Kulbergs, accompanied by the leaders of the parties in the United List (Uldis Sesks, Edgars Tavars, and Edvards Smilten), first spoke with the leaders of "New Unity," then with representatives of the "Progressives" party, and closer to the evening with politicians from the National Alliance. According to rumors, Kulbergs and a significant part of his associates are inclined to leave "New Unity" in opposition, thereby fulfilling the will of the voters, and to create a coalition "for two" – that is, the United List and the National Alliance, which gives a total of 51 votes in the Saeima out of 100. This is a minimal advantage, which means Kulbergs and Co. will need to negotiate cooperation with another political force – most likely, with the "Latvia First" party. Kulbergs still hopes to form a government before the state holiday on November 18, so there is not much time left to wait for the outcome. Today, Andris Kulbergs will hold a press conference to inform Latvians about the dire financial situation and propose options for reviving the economy. He will be joined at the press conference by State Auditor Edgars Korchagin and the President of the Bank of Latvia, Martins Kazaks. As reported by bb.lv, Korchagin's office has already shared its thoughts on reducing Latvia's expenditures. In turn, Kazaks seems to have been invited to provide an analytical justification for the political decision to tighten the belts of the residents of Latvia. It should be noted that in the 2027 budget alone, expenditures will need to be cut by more than half a billion euros! Budget cuts will also be necessary in the following years, unless, of course, Latvia experiences an economic miracle.