On Thursday, the 19th of December, the Saeima did not elect “For Stability!” party’s candidate Pāvels Kuzmins as the next Governor of the Bank of Latvia.
Only ten “For Stability!” members voted in Kuzmins’ favour. 78 Saeima deputies voted against, and two deputies abstained in the vote.
Kuzmins was the last remaining candidate for the post of Governor of the Bank of Latvia, because in the evening on Wednesday, Prime Minister Evika Siliņa announced that coalition parties New Unity and Union of Greens and Farmers agreed to drop both of their respective candidates – Mārtiņš Kazāks and Reinis Bērziņš in order to reach a later agreement on the next coalition-suggested candidate.
Opposition members criticised coalition parties during debates for the fact that there is no professional in Latvia willing to run as candidate for the post of Governor of the Bank of Latvia, adding that this is the result of “political bargaining”.
“For Stability!” leader Aleksejs Rosļikovs believes that by dropping both candidates, the coalition has basically humiliated them. He said what happened was “fear and indecisiveness”.
Saeima deputy Ingmārs Līdaka said just yesterday he still believed a good new leader for the Bank of Latvia would be elected today. The politician, addressing the Union of Greens and Farmers, asked where the party intends to find friends, considering no one wants to be friends with traitors.
“Latvia in First Place” member Kristaps Krištopans said on behalf of his faction that he expects new candidates to provide proposals to improve lending. If a candidate comes up with a concrete plan, this candidate can expect votes from “Latvia in First Place”, he said.
Opposition member Jurģis Klotiņš invited the PM to explain to residents why the coalition has failed to agree on a single candidate. According to him, it is beneath the PM to make such important announcements on social networks.
Because the Saeima failed to elect a new Governor of the Bank of Latvia, the parliament will need to decide which of the two vice-governors – Santa Purgaile or Māris Kālis – will serve as Acting Governor of the Bank of Latvia until a new governor is elected.