Latvia: New Unity to form new government with ZZS, Progressives

Latvia’s New Unity will form a new coalition government with the Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) and the Progressives, New Unity’s prime minister candidate, Evika Silina, announced, LSM reports. Silina said that the Latvian parliament, the Saeima, could possibly vote on endorsing the new government on 15 September 2023. The new coalition would have 52 seats in the 100-member Saeima. Silina’s government would replace the current coalition, which consists of New Unity, United List, and National Alliance, and has a majority of 54 MPs. United List refused Silina’s invitation to join the new coalition, which it said would “weaken national security and international reputation” due to the influence of the former mayor of Ventspils, Aivars Lembergs, who is serving prison time for corruption crimes and is under US sanctions.