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Latvian PM Kulbergs' party leads in parliamentary election exit polls

United List expected to win most votes but will need coalition partners to govern.

AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Published

What this story says

  • Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs' United List party is projected to win parliamentary elections held on Saturday, based on exit poll results.
  • An exit poll by Latvian public broadcaster LSM indicated the United List secured 35.6% of the vote.
  • The election takes place amid warnings from Baltic countries about potential Russian aggression and hybrid attacks.
  • Kulbergs stated, "We cannot be the weakest link. We have to be strong," emphasising unity on NATO's eastern flank.

Who covered it

Left 13%(3)Centre 43%(10)Right 44%(10)

Percentages are shares of the 23 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 19 of the 42 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .

Trust

42/100

Craft

61/100

Hype

41/100

42 sources · methodology

Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs' United List party appeared to be leading in parliamentary elections held on Saturday, according to exit polls. An exit poll conducted by Latvian public broadcaster LSM showed the United List winning 35.6% of the votes. The election occurred with Baltic countries having issued warnings about potential Russian aggression and hybrid attacks.

Prime Minister Kulbergs commented on the security situation, stating, "We cannot be the weakest link. We have to be strong." He added, "All of the Eastern Flank, same unity. So that's what we are striving for. We are Europe's outside border, which has to be strong." Latvia is a member of NATO.

Disagreement on second-place party

While exit polls showed the United List in first place, reports differed on the second-place finisher. Devdiscourse and rmf24.pl reported the populist Latvia First party came second with 11.3% of the vote. However, other reports did not specify a second-place party or its vote share.

What the coverage left out

None of the left-rated digests mention the specific vote percentage for the populist Latvia First party, which was reported by Devdiscourse and rmf24.pl. None of the right-rated digests mention the specific vote percentage for the populist Latvia First party, which was reported by Devdiscourse and rmf24.pl.

Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 1 time, most recently on 3 Oct 2026, 19:00, and will add the sides that appear.

How each side covered it

Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.

Left

3 rated outlets

  • The left-rated reports highlighted the centrist, pro-Ukraine stance of Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs' United List party. Zeit Online's digest stated a clear victory for the United List, giving its vote percentage. TVN24.pl's digest also noted the party's centrist and pro-Ukrainian alignment in its reporting of the exit poll results. Lawyers, Guns & Money's digest provided context on the Latvian parliament's structure and election system, mentioning the number of seats and electoral method.

Centre

10 rated outlets

  • Centre-rated reports focused on Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs' United List party leading in the election exit polls, often noting the need for coalition building. Devdiscourse, in its full report, stated the United List appeared ahead, citing the LSM exit poll's 35.6% figure and mentioning the populist Latvia First party as second with 11.3%. ANSA's digest mentioned populists growing due to expensive prices and pointed to tycoon Ainars Slesser. Portfolio and Market Screener digests also reported the United List's expected win and the necessity of coalition partners. Hola News' digest noted the election's political fragmentation and Kulbergs' party starting as a favourite. The Mighty 790 KFGO and WTVB digests similarly reported the United List's lead and the expectation of coalition building. Lietuvos Radijas ir Televizija's digest discussed Kulbergs' political power and mentioned a politician known for Russian contacts and a right-wing populist candidate. bne IntelliNews' digest focused on the expectation of a fragmented parliament and divisions over defence spending and Ukraine aid.

Right

10 rated outlets

  • Right-rated reports in the digests focused on Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs' United List party leading in the election exit polls, with several mentioning the need for coalition partners. KELO Newstalk 1320 107.9, The Star Kuala Lumpur, WSAU, The Mighty 790 KFGO, WKZO, and BT digests all reported that the United List looked set to win but would need to build a coalition. La Razón's digest specifically stated the "Conservative United List Party Wins General Elections in Latvia," citing 35.6% of the votes. Die Presse's digest reported a "Landslide Victory for the Ruling Party in Latvia," noting the United List scored 35.6 percent of the votes, a 24 percentage point increase from the previous ballot.

Questions about this coverage

How did the left and right cover Latvian PM Kulbergs' party leads in parliamentary election exit polls?
Of the 23 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 13% are rated left, 43% are rated centre, 44% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 42. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
Is Latvian PM Kulbergs' party leads in parliamentary election exit polls left or right?
Neither side dominates it. Of the 23 rated outlets on this story, 13% are rated left, 43% are rated centre, 44% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
Is the coverage of Latvian PM Kulbergs' party leads in parliamentary election exit polls biased?
Latvian PM Kulbergs' party leads in parliamentary election exit polls is one event reported by 42 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
Which outlets covered Latvian PM Kulbergs' party leads in parliamentary election exit polls?
42 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
Which party won the Latvian parliamentary elections according to exit polls?
According to exit polls, Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs' United List party appeared to be leading the parliamentary elections. An exit poll by Latvian public broadcaster LSM showed the United List winning 35.6% of the votes.
What is the political context of the Latvian election?
The election took place amid warnings from Baltic countries about potential Russian aggression and hybrid attacks. Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs emphasised the need for strength and unity on NATO's eastern flank, stating, "We cannot be the weakest link."
Will the United List party govern alone?
Exit polls indicate that while the United List is projected to win the most votes, it is unlikely to secure an outright majority. Reports suggest the party will need to build coalitions with other parties to form a government.

Read it at the source

42 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.

Left

3

Centre

10
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Right

10
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Not rated

19
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How did this read?

About the coverage, not about the story. We do not ask whether you agree with what happened — we have no honest use for that answer.

Latvia election: Kulbergs' party leads | MediaBias News