LatviaPublished: 16 October 2026 at 03:58

Fact check: Šlesers talks up Latvia's national debt, but what do the facts say?

Rising national debt was one of the key topics ahead of Latvia's parliamentary (Saeima) elections. It is often raised by Ainārs Šlesers, leader of the party "Latvia First". TVNET's fact-checking section examines which of his claims hold up and which are exaggerated.

Ahead of Latvia's Saeima (parliamentary) elections, politicians actively criticised their opponents. One of the main topics was national welfare, including the growing state debt. Ainārs Šlesers, leader of the party "Latvia First" (LPV), often puts this issue at the centre of his messaging.

TVNET's fact-checking section "Faktomāts" looks at where Šlesers's statements about the national debt are justified and where they are overstated.

The excerpt of the source text gives no specific figures, direct quotes from Šlesers or conclusions of the check. For that reason, it cannot say here which claims turned out to be accurate and which did not.

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