Do Not Speak Ill: Which Latvian Politicians Were Left Out of the New Saeima

The upcoming Thursday will essentially be the last working day for those deputies of the 14th Saeima who either did not run for re-election or were not elected to the new parliament. The composition of the parliament will be renewed by more than 60 percent. Thus, in the 15th Saeima, we will not see a kind of record holder of Latvian politics **Aleksandrs Kiršteins**, who was a deputy of the Supreme Council back in 1990. As is known, he was elected to the 14th Saeima from the National Alliance, but he became disillusioned with the politics of this party and, before the elections, joined a new political force "We Change the Rules," which garnered just over 3 percent of the votes, meaning it did not make it into the new parliament. Another veteran of Latvian politics, Augusts Brigmanis, will also not be in the new Saeima, as his Union of Greens and Farmers did not overcome the five percent barrier. Another job will have to be sought by the veteran politician from the United List **Ingmars Lidaka**. Voters denied trust to the former Minister of Communications from the "Progressives" party **Kaspars Briškens**. Surprisingly, but true - voters "rejected" the candidate for prime minister from "New Unity" **Arvils Ašeradens**, who chaired the Economic Committee in the current Saeima. However, Ašeradens may still enter the new parliament through the so-called soft mandate, in case one of the deputies from the Riga district leaves to work in the government. The same chance exists for the first candidate from the Vidzeme district **Jānis Grasbergs**, who was the secretary of the presidium in the outgoing Saeima. The new Saeima will also not include the vice-speaker of the outgoing parliament **Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica** from "New Unity." We will not see other experienced politicians from this once powerful political force - former ministers **Ingrīda Circene**, **Anda Čakša**... Of his own volition, the former leader of the National Alliance **Raivis Dzintars** is leaving politics, having even refused to run for the 15th Saeima. The same goes for the parliament deputy of many convocations **Gundars Daudze**. The new Saeima will also not include the current speaker **Daiga Mierina** - again due to the failure of the Union of Greens and Farmers in the elections. From this, one can conclude that the composition of the presidium of the new parliament will change almost completely. According to rumors, only Antonina Nenaševa from the "Progressives" party may remain from the previous composition - she may receive the position of either secretary or deputy secretary of the presidium.