Russian-speaking Latvians who back Ukraine and value their language are heading into an election without an obvious political home

Latvia will elect its 15th Saeima, or parliament, on October 3. September polls suggest seven political groups have a chance of winning seats. Two of them — the Sovereign Power / Young Latvians alliance and Latvia First — are competing vigorously to win over voters who once supported the “Russian” parties. Their rivalry is one of the campaign’s central stories: almost 35% of Latvian citizens speak Russian at home. Polls also suggest that the traditional “Russian” parties, especially Harmony Center, remain below the 5% threshold. Writing for Meduza, Sergejs Potapkins, a political scientist and