Social media rounds up the funniest and most awkward Latvian election ad moments

During the campaign ahead of Latvia's 15th Saeima elections, media outlets operated under strict rules to avoid influencing voters or spotlighting specific advertisements. Now that voting has concluded, it's possible to openly revisit several curious moments from the campaign that were noticed and discussed on social media.

Car ad mishaps

One widely noticed case involved a car advertisement for candidate Natālija Ābola — when the car window was rolled down, the image created a comic effect as if the head in the photo could be "removed." A similar mishap affected an ad for the Gobzems list, where missing or faded letters on a car turned the phrase "the state starts with family" into an unintended, oddly truncated version.

Placement and content quirks

An ad for New Unity (Jaunā Vienotība) drew amused reactions online for its oddly chosen placement, visible properly from only one angle. Observers also noted that although Valdis Dombrovskis is not on the party's candidate list, his image still appeared on city posters — which, despite causing confusion, is not against the rules. Attention was also drawn to errors found in a sudoku puzzle printed in a campaign newspaper distributed by New Unity supporters.

Funniest ad and unusual names

The "We Change the Rules" list's video was named the funniest, poking fun at its own decision to place musician Ainārs Mielavs as the top candidate on its Latgale regional list. Social media also highlighted unusual candidate names, including one named "Rodijs Rododendrs," and noted that two candidates in the race shared the identical name Viktors Valainis.

Other notable moments

Former president Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga publicly urged people to vote for her godson, Mārtiņš Šteins, amid unconfirmed claims that he manages her social media accounts. Meanwhile, candidate Ainārs Šlesers stood out for using AI-generated advertisements and for actively courting young voters, including joint video content.