Latvian Prime Minister Resigns After Coalition Collapses Over Stray Drones

Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina resigned on Thursday after a political crisis triggered by the entry of three drones into Latvian airspace on 7 May. The incident involved drones bound for Russia that officials said were likely Ukrainian UAVs whose signals had been jammed.

One drone crashed on the ground, another struck an empty oil product storage facility near the town of Rezekne, and the third flew in and out of Latvian airspace.

There were no casualties. Local residents told media the official response was delayed. They said the cell broadcast alert system was not activated for an hour after one drone crashed near Rezekne. Silina fired Defence Minister Andris Spruds last week, criticising his response to the incident and the situation in the Latvian defence sector as a whole.

She appointed a replacement. In protest, Spruds's Progressives party withdrew support from Silina's ruling coalition. The move caused the coalition to collapse, months before a planned general election in October.

Silina had headed the coalition since 2023. She said after the drone incident, "Something went wrong. " The country spends 5 percent of its GDP on national defence. Silina noted this level of spending requires "a much higher level of responsibility toward society...

political windbags have chosen a crisis. " The event marked the second such drone incursion into Latvia since the start of 2026.

Both Latvia and Ukraine acknowledged the drones may have been intended to target Russia. Officials will now move to form a new government. A decision on the quickest possible formation of a new government is expected on 15 May.

Silina was appointed prime minister in September 2023 and has led a four-party coalition. The government has maintained support for Ukraine.