Fewer and fewer Russian citizens in Latvia are voting in Russia's elections each year
Russia is holding parliamentary elections in which Russian citizens abroad, including around 42,000 living in Latvia, are eligible to vote, but stricter security-related restrictions mean turnout among them is expected to keep declining.
Russia is currently holding what are officially called parliamentary elections, in which citizens can vote for deputies to the State Duma even while living outside the country. This right also extends to Russian citizens residing in Latvia, a group that remains fairly sizeable.
According to data from August of last year, around 42,000 Russian citizens living in Latvia are eligible to vote in Russian elections. However, as reported by Latvijas Radio, the situation has changed since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine — security considerations have led to considerably stricter rules for voting from abroad compared to the pre-war period.
Lower turnout expected
Because of these tightened restrictions, far fewer Russian citizens living abroad are expected to take part in this round of voting compared to previous election cycles. A downward trend in participation among Russian citizens in Latvia has already been observed for some time, and the latest restrictions are likely to reinforce it further.
