Latvia’s Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs (United List) has announced that his party will begin negotiations with potential coalition partners next week to form a new government, according to a statement issued to the media.
Kulbergs had previously maintained a pause of more than two weeks following the Saeima elections, without officially opening any negotiations on forming the next government.
Citing his workload and ongoing government responsibilities, the prime minister had promised to announce his plans for coalition talks at the beginning of this week. Although he has now outlined the schedule, the negotiations themselves will not begin for more than another week.
The United List politician plans to launch talks shortly before the first sitting of the 15th Saeima.
On the 28th of October, negotiations are scheduled to begin with the National Alliance (NA), followed later the same day by talks with New Unity (JV).
Both parties are already coalition partners of the United List in the current government.
At the same time, the United List intends to meet representatives of other parties elected to parliament.
The next Saeima will also include Latvia First (LPV), Sovereign Power/Young Latvians Alliance (SV/AJ) and the Progressives.
According to Kulbergs, the government formation process will begin with an agreement on the principles of cooperation, the reforms to be implemented and responsibility for achieving the agreed results.
The prime minister emphasised that the new government must function as a team with clearly defined objectives and a willingness to make difficult decisions.
The negotiations will address joint decision-making procedures, mechanisms for resolving disagreements,
regular public reporting on government performance and dialogue with society and social partners.
Kulbergs said that an agreement on cooperation principles and measurable objectives would provide the foundation for subsequent negotiations on the composition of the government and the distribution of ministerial responsibilities.
As previously reported, the United List won the elections to the 15th Saeima, securing 41 parliamentary seats.
The National Alliance will hold 10 seats in the next parliament, while New Unity will have seven.
Latvia First secured 17 seats, Sovereign Power/Young Latvians Alliance won 15, and the Progressives obtained 10 seats.
Following initial consultations with the political parties elected to parliament, Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs announced that Kulbergs should take responsibility for forming the country’s next government.