Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins announced on Monday August 14 that he was resigning, citing the “lack of dynamics” within the governing coalition. “I will ask my party, the New Unity, to present a new candidate for the post of Prime Minister. This means there will be a new prime minister,” he said at a press conference.
To justify his decision, the politician invoked a “lack of dynamics” and the “need for a new government coalition”. “Currently the United List and National Alliance [two parties within the coalition] are blocking work for prosperity and economic growth,” he also lamented on X (formerly Twitter).
Latvia, a member of NATO and the European Union, held its last legislative elections in October 2022. The pro-Western centrist New Unity party of Krisjanis Karins won the election with nearly 19% of the vote, but it only managed to form a coalition of 53 MPs out of 100.
The party teamed up with the United List (Greens and regional parties, centrists) and the National Alliance (center right), to form the new coalition. Prime Minister of Latvia since 2019, Mr Karins recently tried to broaden the coalition by inviting the left-wing social democratic Progressives to join the government, but he faced strong criticism from within the bloc. in power.
New Unit is now expected to nominate a candidate to succeed Mr. Karins following his formal resignation, which he said he wanted to deliver to the president on Thursday.
