Latvia's energy crisis four years ago: what has changed since the last Saeima election

Four years ago, when the previous Saeima elections took place, Latvia's energy market was in a tense, crisis-like state. Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, prices for electricity, natural gas and heating rose sharply, affecting both households and businesses across the country.

New supply routes and state support

Because the existing energy supply system had largely relied on deliveries from Russia, the war forced the state to urgently search for alternative routes to bring in energy resources. At the same time, the government decided to provide financial support to residents and businesses, channeling several hundred million euros from the state budget to soften the impact of the steep price increases on society and the economy as a whole.

Relevance to the previous election

The energy crisis became one of the key issues of that pre-election period, since it directly affected daily expenses for a large share of Latvia's population and raised operating costs for companies. High energy prices were among the factors shaping debates about the country's economic policy at the time.

Now, four years later and with the next Saeima elections approaching, the question of how the energy sector has changed since then is becoming relevant again, along with what policy direction might continue or shift in the coming years. The issue remains significant because the availability and cost of energy resources are still closely tied to the country's overall economic stability.