Latvian MEP Roberts Zile has been reelected one of the 14 vice-presidents of the European Parliament, LSM reports. He is the only Baltic MEP elected to the post so far. Zile is a member of the opposition National Alliance, which is a member of the European Conservatives and Reformists group. He has served as MEP…
Latvia’s ruling New Unity regained its position as the country’s most popular political party in June 2024, according to a SKDS poll, LSM reports. New Unity’s support stood at 10.9%, which was up from 7.2% in April 2024. The opposition National Alliance came in second with 9.9% (8.1%), followed by Latvia First with 7.3% (6.6%)….
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics has successfully distanced himself from his former party, New Unity and established his own independent identity, according to political scientist Lelde Metla-Rozentale of Riga Stradins University, LETA reports. While New Unity voters still associate Rinkevics with the party, his work is highly regarded across various voter groups, including those from the…
Negotiations about possible changes to Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina’s government may resume at the end of summer 2024, with discussions about potentially expanding the coalition, LETA reports. Maris Kucinskis of the opposition United List confirmed the group’s interest in joining the government but only as a unified party. Agriculture Minister Armands Krauze acknowledged informal…
Latvia’s Foreign Minister, former prime minister Krisjanis Karins, would like to become a European Commissioner if he fails to win the race for the post of Secretary General of NATO, LETA reports. Latvia’s ruling New Unity party has yet to decide whether to name Karins or Latvia’s current EU commissioner, Valdis Dombrovskis, to top the…
Latvia’s Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS), which is part of the country’s current coalition government, will continue to cooperate with former Ventspils mayor Aivars Lembergs despite him having been sentenced to prison for corruption, LSM reports. Harijs Rokpelnis, chairman of the ZZS parliamentary group, pointed out that the court verdict had not entered into…
Latvia’s parliament, the Saeima, has approved a new coalition government led by Evika Silina with 53 votes for and 29 against, LSM reports. The three-party coalition consists of Silina’s centre-right New Unity party, the conservative Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS), and the social-democratic Progressives. New Unity’s previous coalition partners, the National Alliance and the…
Latvia’s New Unity, Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS), and Progressives have agreed on the distribution of seats in their new coalition government, LETA reports. New Unity will have eight, ZZS will have five, and the Progressives will have three seats in the new cabinet. The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, is due to approve the…
Social media users in Latvia have highlighted statements by Andris Spruds, potential candidate for minister of defence, about the Latvian state and Russian-occupied Crimea, Baltic News Network reports. Speaking in an interview on the Russian-language radio station, Radio Baltkom, in January 2013, Spruds contested the legal continuity of the Latvian republic. Also, he asserted that…