Kariņš has instead decided to focus on challenges in the private sector, he said.
Kariņš entered politics more than 20 years ago together with the "Jaunais Laiks" (New Era) party and has worked in both the Saeima and the European Parliament, as well as having a lengthy stint as Prime Minister and a relatively brief one as Minister of Foreign Affairs. More than 15 years ago, Kariņš was the Minister of Economics in the government led by Aigars Kalvītis (People's Party).
In April of this year, Kariņš returned to work in the Saeima after resigning from the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs in connection with a controversy over his use of expensive flights while Prime Minister.
Before that, he headed the Cabinet of Ministers for more than four years, making him one of Latvia's longest-serving Prime Ministers, a tenure that included seeing the country through the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kariņš had sought a return to Brussels by running in the European Parliament elections earlier this summer as New Unity's number two candidate, but he was not elected, with his appeal clearly compromised by the flights scandal.
According to the LETA news agency, Kariņš' place in Saeima will be taken by Viesturs Zariņš, currently a member of Valka district council.
