The President Named the Candidate for Prime Minister of Latvia

The President of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, stated that the current Prime Minister, Andris Kulbergs, should receive the mandate to form a new government. This statement was made by the head of state on Tuesday after negotiations with all political forces that entered the 15th Saeima. The president's decision did not come as a surprise. The 'United List', led by Kulbergs, won the parliamentary elections convincingly, significantly ahead of the other participants. According to preliminary data from the Central Election Commission, the party received 35.288% of the votes. Following them are 'Latvia First' with 13.076%, 'Sovereign Power/Young Latvians Union' with 11.710%, the National Alliance with 8.897%, 'Progressives' with 7.878%, and 'New Unity' with 6.362%. Now, Kulbergs will have to start negotiations with potential coalition partners. The composition of the new Cabinet of Ministers and its work program will depend on the outcome of these negotiations. In the Latvian political system, winning elections does not automatically mean forming a government. The candidate for the post of Prime Minister must secure the support of a majority of the Saeima deputies. Andris Kulbergs was born in 1979. He was educated at the Concordia International University in Tallinn and the Riga Business School, and before entering politics, he worked for many years in the automotive industry and managed several companies. He was also part of the leadership of the Automobile Association and the board of the Latvian Confederation of Employers. Kulbergs was elected to the Saeima in 2022 on the 'United List' ticket. In parliament, he chaired the subcommittee on environmental, climate, and energy issues, as well as the commission investigating the rising costs of heating supply in Riga. The government led by Kulbergs was approved on May 28 of this year after the resignation of the cabinet of Evika Siliņa. The current coalition includes the 'United List', 'New Unity', the Union of Greens and Farmers, and the National Alliance. Following the president's statement, the next stage of power formation begins — consultations on creating a new ruling coalition. Only after agreements are reached will the composition of the new government be submitted for approval to the Saeima.