Reports
Latvia Monthly: Disinformation Peaks Ahead of Final Vote on Istanbul Convention Withdrawal
While Kremlin-aligned disinformation has long been present in Latvia's information space, the more alarming development is how local politicians have brought these tactics into the center of mainstream politics, making conspiracy theories and fabricated threats core components of parliamentary debate. Conservative and populist politicians like oligarch Ainārs Šlesers now routinely claim the Istanbul Convention promotes "117 genders" and enables forced gender transitions for children, combining Russian-style narratives about Western moral decay with Trumpian manipulation tactics including personal ridicule, "Sorosist" conspiracies, and apocalyptic calls to "save Latvia."
Read more
Latvia Weekly: Disinformation Fuels Opposition to the Istanbul Convention
Ainars Šlesers of party Latvia First propagates false narratives claiming the Istanbul Convention promotes a "117 gender policy" and threatens traditional families, when the treaty actually focuses solely on preventing violence against women and domestic violence. He employs aggressive rhetoric against political opponents, repeatedly comparing Progressive party members to "Lenin," sharing digitally altered images of them, and using terms like "gangsters" and accusations of "aggression" and "brainwashing" to delegitimize those who support the Convention.
Read moreDon't miss a story.
We publish stories that change laws, lives, minds and the world. Subscribe to our newsletter to get our investigations delivered to your inbox.