The lists of candidates for Members of the European Parliament must be submitted from January 25 to February 9. Latvia will have nine parliamentary mandates in the European Parliament, one more than before.
The New Unity party will decide whether to give the first number on the list to Foreign Minister Krišjānis Kariņš or the former Executive Vice-President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis. It is also known that long-standing MEPs Sandra Kalniete and Inese Vaidere will be next on the list.
Without many surprises, the National Alliance already named the nominations of longtime European parliamentarian Roberts Zīle, as well as Ināra Mūrniece, Rihards Kols, and several more Saeima deputies.
Ex-ministers Tālis Linkaits, Gatis Eglītis, and publicist Liāna Langa will stand as candidates from the New Conservative Party list.
Last week, it was heard that the United List was set to announce Reinis Pozņaks, the organizer of the “Twitterconvoy,” as the first on the list for the European Parliament elections. He confirmed that he was very close to the decision to start in the EP elections.
Progressives have named Elīna Pinto and former Rīga Mayor Mārtiņš Staķis, whereas For Latvia's Development have named current MEP Ivars Ījābs, as well as former Defense Minister Artis Pabriks and former Saeima deputy Vjačeslavs Dombrovskis.
The Greens and Farmers Union will have ministers from the existing government in their field of candidates for the European Parliament but no announcement has been made yet.
The leaders of Harmony will be MEP Nils Ušakovs, public activist Olga Petkeviča, and political force co-chair Regīna Ločmele. while the leaders of the list of Latvia First will be Saeima deputies Vilis Krištopans, former Welfare Minister Ramona Petraviča, and Ričards Šlesers.
It is not yet known about For Stability! and the Latvian Russian Union(LKS). LKS's longtime leader, Tatjana Ždanoka, is prevented by law from running for election in the future, but Inna Djeri, Riga councilor, could be the leader of the list.
European Parliament elections in the Member States of the European Union will take place from June 6 to 9, in Latvia – on Saturday, June 8.