Imagine going into an election where the most important issues aren’t explained but weaponised. That’s the picture that emerges from Re:Baltica’s analysis of Latvia’s parliamentary election on October 3. In a country already on edge because of Russia’s war in Ukraine, security was always going to be on voters’ minds. But the campaign turned into something stranger: the other two topics that dominated the airwaves — immigration and the Istanbul Convention — were pushed to the front by politicians who used fear, distortion, and sometimes outright lies. Not all of it was foreign interference. Much of it was homegrown. Before…

Picture this: you’re a tired, slightly anxious new parent, scrolling through Facebook in the quiet hours of the evening. You love your baby more than anything, and you want to make the right choices, but the constant stream of opinions about vaccines can feel overwhelming. Suddenly a message appears on your screen: “Protect the community and your kids by booking their vaccinations today.” It sounds official, sensible, and a little distant. A few posts later, another message asks: “Do you know all the effects of childhood vaccinations on your babies?” This one feels different. It sounds like a friend who…