2026 in Latvia
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Events in the year 2026 in Latvia.
Incumbents
[edit]- President: Edgars Rinkēvičs
- Prime Minister: Evika Siliņa (until 28 May); Andris Kulbergs onwards
Events
[edit]January
[edit]- 2 January – Latvia assumes a two-year non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council.[1]
- 18 January–8 February – UEFA Futsal Euro 2026 in Latvia, Lithuania and Slovenia.[2][3]
February
[edit]- 3 February – The mayor of Ogre, Egils Helmanis, resigns citing health issues.[4]
March
[edit]- 6 March – Latvia boycotts the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Italy in protest over Russian athletes being allowed to compete under the Russian flag after the lifting of sanctions imposed over the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.[5]
- 11 March – Curlers Poļina Rožkova and Agris Lasmans become the first athletes representing Latvia to win a medal in the Paralympics after achieving bronze in the mixed doubles curling at the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Italy.[6]
- 25 March – A suspected Ukrainian drone crashes in Krāslava.[7]
May
[edit]- 7 May – A drone originating from Russia crashes in Rezekne.[8]
- 10 May – Defence Minister Andris Sprūds resigns following a demand by prime minister Siliņa following the drone incident at Rēzekne.[9]
- 14 May – Prime Minister Evika Siliņa resigns after the Progressives withdraw support from the government.[10]
- 28 May – Andris Kulbergs is confirmed as Prime Minister by the Saeima.[11]
June
[edit]- 8 June – A drone is shot down by French fighter jets belonging to a NATO contingent over Latvian airspace. The incident is blamed by the Latvian Army on Russian interference.[12]
August
[edit]- 14 August – A drone is shot down by a NATO fighter jet over Balvi Municipality. The incident is blamed by the Latvian Army on Russian interference.[13]
September
[edit]- 13 September – Welfare Minister Reinis Uzulnieks is removed from office after being caught driving under the influence of alcohol.[14]
October
[edit]- 3 October – 2026 Latvian parliamentary election: The ruling United List party of prime minister Andris Kulbergs wins a plurality of 41 seats in the 100-member Saeima.[15]
Holidays
[edit]- 1 January – New Year's Day
- 3 April – Good Friday
- 6 April – Easter Monday
- 1 May – Labour Day
- 4 May – Restoration of Independence Day
- 23 June – Midsummer
- 24 June – St. John's Day
- 18 November – Independence Day
- 24 December – Christmas Eve
- 25 December – Christmas Day
- 26 December – Boxing Day
- 31 December – New Year's Eve
Art and entertainment
[edit]Deaths
[edit]
- 1 January – Imants Freibergs, 91, computer scientist, first gentleman (1999–2007).[18]
- 4 January – Nora Ikstena, 56, writer and cultural manager.[19]
- 8 January – Uljana Semjonova, 73, basketball player, Olympic champion (1976, 1980).[20]
- 23 January – Anda Zaice, 84, actress (Trial on the Road).[21]
- 29 January – Raimonds Staprans, 99, Latvian-American visual artist and playwright.[22]
- 5 March – Jānis Streičs, 89, film director (A Limousine the Colour of Midsummer's Eve, Cilvēka bērns).[23]
- 11 April – Vija Vētra, 103, dancer and choreographer.[24]
- 12 June – Pauls Butkēvičs, 85, actor (I Remember Everything, Richard, Four White Shirts, Long Road in the Dunes).[25]
- 30 July – Marģers Vestermanis, 100, Holocaust survivor and historian.[26]
- 7 September – Rihards Pīks, 84, politician and film director, MP (1998–2004), MEP (2004–2009) and minister of foreign affairs (2004).[27]
- 19 October – Vladlens Dozorcevs, 87, member of the Supreme Council (1990–1993) and MP (1995–1998).[28]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "DRC, Liberia among five new non-permanent UN Security Council members". Africanews. 3 January 2026. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
- ↑ "Latvia and Lithuania selected to host Futsal EURO 2026". UEFA. Union of European Football Associations. 2 December 2023.
- ↑ "Slovenia joins Latvia and Lithuania as Futsal EURO 2026 host". UEFA. Union of European Football Associations. 27 June 2025. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ↑ "Ogre's mayor steps down citing health issues". LSM.lv. 3 February 2026. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ↑ "Russian flag returns as Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics open amid Iran war and boycott". AP News. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
- ↑ "Latvia's achievement: the first Winter Paralympic medal won at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium". Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics. Retrieved 2026-03-19.[dead link]
- ↑ "Drones from Russian airspace hit Estonian and Latvian territory, authorities say". Euronews. Retrieved 2026-04-03.
- ↑ "Latvia says drones entered airspace from Russia, 1 may have crashed near oil facility". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 2026-05-09.
- ↑ "Latvian Defence Minister resigns in response to Prime Minister's demand". LSM. Retrieved 2026-05-10.
- ↑ "Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa steps down". LSM. Retrieved 2026-05-14.
- ↑ "New Latvian government approved by parliament". LSM. Retrieved 2026-05-28.
- ↑ Tim Zadorozhnyy (8 June 2026). "NATO jets shoot down drone over Latvia in 1st such interception, military says". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
- ↑ Sania Kozatskyi. "NATO Fighter Jet Shoots Down Drone Over Latvia". militarnyi. Retrieved 2026-08-14.
- ↑ "Latvian Welfare Minister caught drunk driving, removed from office". LSM. Retrieved 2026-09-14.
- ↑ Fisayo-Bambi, Jeremiah (4 October 2026). "Latvia's pro-European ruling party wins election as populists gain ground". Euronews. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
- ↑ "Latvia Public Holidays 2026". Public Holidays Global. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ↑ "Holidays and Observances in Latvia in 2026". Time and Date. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ↑ "Mūžībā aizsaukts Imants Freibergs". Delfi (in Latvian). 1 January 2026. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- ↑ "Latvian writer Nora Ikstena dies aged 56". Public Broadcasting of Latvia. 4 January 2026. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
- ↑ "Sēru vēsts: mūžībā devusies Latvijas un pasaules basketbola leģenda Uļjana Semjonova". Latvian Basketball Association (in Latvian). 8 January 2026. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
- ↑ "Умерла актриса Анда Зайце" (in Russian). Stuki-Druki. 24 January 2026. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ↑ "Mūžībā devies izcilais gleznotājs Raimonds Staprāns". LASI. 30 January 2026. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
- ↑ "89 gadu vecumā mūžībā devies izcilais latviešu kinorežisors Jānis Streičs". LSM. 5 March 2026. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
- ↑ "Mirusi leģendārā latviešu dejotāja un horeogrāfe Vija Vētra". NRA. 11 April 2026. Retrieved 11 April 2026.
- ↑ 85 gadu vecumā mūžībā devies leģendārais aktieris Pauls Butkēvičs (in Latvian)
- ↑ "101 gada vecumā mūžībā aizsaukts vēsturnieks, muzeja "Ebreji Latvijā" dibinātājs Marģers Vestermanis". Delfi Kultūra. 30 July 2026. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
- ↑ "In Memoriam. Rihards Pīks". nra.lv (in Latvian). 2026-09-07. Retrieved 2026-09-07.
- ↑ "Poet, playwright, and politician Vladlen Dozortsev has passed away". Bb.lv. 19 October 2026. Retrieved 20 October 2026.
