LSM tests election candidates’ crisis decisions in Silgale simulation

Latvian public broadcaster LSM is continuing its pre-election simulation to test how candidates for parliament would make decisions during a crisis.

The television programme Aizliegtais paņēmiens is examining how Latvian politicians would cooperate and solve problems in an emergency. Across three programmes, teams of five parliamentary candidates representing three political forces will assess a simulated situation and make decisions.

The Silgale scenario

The simulation, titled X Hour in Silgale, is set in a fictional small town in Latgale, 18 kilometres from the Russian border. Silgale has about 7,000 residents. Latvians make up 54% of the population, Russians 40% and people of other ethnicities 6%.

A crisis management centre has been set up in a bunker. Five people receive a report from the State Security Service about events in the border town.

The scenario includes a Russian flag being displayed, the death of a Russian pensioner during an argument with police, the involvement of young people with nationalist views and, eventually, a drone crash near Silgale.

After hearing the report, the crisis management centre must decide what steps to take next.

Participating political forces

The political forces were selected using the latest available SKDS ratings. Only parties and political groupings exceeding the 2% threshold were included.

The first programme featured the Union of Greens and Farmers, the National Alliance and Stabilitātei. The second episode features New Unity, For Latvia’s Development and Latvia First, while the third will feature the Progressives, the United List and Sovereign Power and the New Latvians Alliance.