Latvia’s President Egils Levits has officially nominated New Unity leader Krišjānis Kariņš for the post of prime minister.
Levits announced Kariņš’s nomination at at press-conference on Tuesday, 22 November. He confirmed the document will be signed in the next 24 hours.
Kariņš and his party New Unity have been basically in charge of the government formation process since the end of 14th Saeima elections in October as the party that gained the majority of votes. Other parties agree that New Unity should take charge of the government formation process.
Levits previously named Kariņš as the one in charge of the government formation process.
After elections New Unity announced plans to form a four-party coalition – New Unity, Combined List, National Alliance and Progressive Party. However, the Combined List and National Alliance refused to work with the Progressive Party due to ‘ideological reasons’. Now the coalition is shaping up to consist of the three remaining parties.
Currently the three parties are working on the government declaration.
In accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia, the Cabinet of Ministers is composed by the person nominated by the country’s president. The Cabinet of Ministers consists of the prime minister and ministers.
If parties agree on the coalition, the Saeima will vote to approve the new Cabinet of Ministers.
Kariņš war born in the US. He then moved to Latvia and worked as a businessman at first. In 1994 he founded Lāču ledus and was its CEO.
When Kariņš joined politics, he was one of the founders of the New Era Party. In 2002 Kariņš was elected to the Saeima.
After the collapse of Einars Repše’s government in 2004, New Era picked Kariņš as their prime minister candidate. However, he was not picked. Union of Greens and Farmers representative Indulis Emsis was picked instead.
After Emsis’ government, too, collapsed at the end of 2004, New Era kept Kariņš as their PM candidate. But even then the next government was entrusted to the leader of the People’s Party Aigars Kalvītis. But Kariņš did secure the seat of the Minister of Economics in Kalvītis’ government.
After successfully starting in 9th Saeima elections, Kariņš worked as a deputy for three years. He was in charge of the Saeima faction of New Era for a little less than a year.
He also ran in the European Parliament elections as New Era member in 2009 and as Unity member in 2014. He was elected both times.
In January 2019 the Saeima approved Kariņš’s government. After the 14th Saeima elections this government remains in charge as a «technical government».