Latvia’s United List won 42 of the 100 seats in parliament, emerging as the largest political force in Saturday’s election and giving Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs a strong mandate to begin negotiations for a new governing coalition.

Kulbergs, who leads the centrist United List, became prime minister in May after a political crisis brought down the previous coalition. His government has strongly supported Ukraine in its war against Russia, a position that has taken on added importance as Latvia faces growing concerns about Russian aggression.

The election was held after the previous government collapsed following a dispute over its handling of Ukrainian drones suspected of entering Latvian airspace. Parliament subsequently backed Kulbergs and his coalition, which had previously been in opposition.

Latvia is a NATO and European Union member located on the alliance’s eastern flank. The country shares borders with both Russia and Moscow-aligned Belarus, making national security and the war in neighboring Ukraine major concerns for Latvian voters.

The United List received about 35% of the vote, but its 42 seats fall short of the 51 needed for a parliamentary majority. Kulbergs will therefore have to negotiate with other parties to assemble a governing coalition.

Several other parties cleared the 5% threshold required to win seats in the 100-member Saeima, leaving Kulbergs with multiple potential coalition partners but also a fragmented parliament.

More than half of eligible voters participated in the election, with turnout exceeding 51%. The lawmakers elected Saturday will serve four-year terms.

Kulbergs now faces the task of forming a coalition capable of governing while maintaining Latvia’s strong support for Ukraine and addressing security concerns along the country’s border with Russia and Belarus.