If Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) candidate Gunārs Kūtris is not elected as the new new Saeima speaker in the second vote, the party may propose Daiga Mieriņa as a replacement candidate, according to information from behind the scenes.
It is possible that in this case New Unity and Progressive Party may lean to vote for her. Both parties voted against Kūtris in the first vote.
The second vote has started for the first two candidates to take the post of Saeima speaker – Kūtris and Māris Sprindžuks.
In the first vote 26 Saeima deputies voted for Kūtris (56 voted against) and 23 voted for Sprindžuks (62 voted against).
Kūtris was previously mentioned as a candidate who received the coalition’s approval. However, his recent public statements have caused a backlash from society and questions about his fitness to serve as Saeima’s speaker. He was proposed for the post by ZZS even though their coalition partners urged them to “reconsider”.
Sprindžuks was proposed for the post by the now dismissed Saeima speaker Edvards Smiltēns.
Also read: New Unity will not vote for Gunārs Kūtris as Saeima’s new speaker