New government approved in Latvia following drone incident that toppled previous administration

Latvia's parliament has approved a new government, led by opposition leader Andris Kulbergs, just two weeks after the previous administration under Prime Minister Evika Siliņa lost its majority. The collapse of Siliņa's government was triggered by a controversial incident involving two downed drones.

The new coalition is composed of the parties Unity, National Alliance, and the Union of Greens and Farmers. Prime Minister Kulbergs acknowledged that his government has only a few months to serve before the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for October 3. "The people will very quickly tell us whether we have done well or poorly. The election on October 3 will be the judgment on this government," Kulbergs stated, according to Reuters.

The incident that led to the government's downfall involved two drones, believed to be Ukrainian, that flew over Latvian airspace and crashed. One drone impacted an oil storage facility near the city of Rezekne, causing damage to four empty oil containers. Initially, Defense Minister Adris Spruds resigned after Siliņa criticized the slow deployment of drone defense systems. However, the left-wing party The Progressives subsequently withdrew their support for Siliņa, leading to the government's collapse.

A joint statement from the four governing parties emphasized "national security" and border protection as key priorities. The new government faces the immediate challenge of preparing for the October elections while addressing the nation's security concerns.