Latvia's Elections: Harmony vs. Unity as Russia Takes Interest

Russia will be watching Latvia's Oct. 2 parliamentary elections as the Harmony Center alliance, which draws a great deal of support from Latvia's Russian minority, goes up against the ruling pro-Western Unity coalition. A Harmony Center victory would be a welcome sight for Moscow, which is in the middle of a carefully orchestrated resurgence in its periphery. The Baltic states are a concern for Moscow because of their Western alliances, and the emergence of a pro-Russian party as a viable political choice in a Baltic country would signify that Russia's influence in the Baltics is on the rise.