Politics
Friday, September 15 saw the Saeima approve a new government for Latvia, headed by Evika Siliņa. In the process, Siliņa becomes only the second woman to become Prime Minister, following Laimdota Straujuma in 2014-2016.
Minister of Health Līga Meņģelsone considered joining the New Unity party and potentially continuing to play a role at the ministry she headed, but later changed her mind after negotiations, reported Latvian Television September 15.
After three years of work, the so-called "coalition of change" of the Riga City Council (Rīgas Dome, RD) fell apart this summer, with mayor Martiņš Stāķis surprising many with his sudden resignation. On September 15 Latvian Radio's Atvērtie Faili (Open Files) examined the role that lucrative but secretive road maintenance contracts in the capital might have played in the political turmoil.
A public opinion survey carried out for Latvian Television's debate show "What's happening in Latvia?" suggests the public finds the prospect of a new three-party coalition little more attractive than the old three-party coalition it replaces.
The composition of the Cabinet of Ministers proposed by Prime Ministerial candidate Evika Siliņa (New Unity) was officially announced on Wednesday, September 13.
The largest political party in parliament, New Unity, has experienced the biggest drop in public support over the last month, according to the regular monthly poll conducted by the SKDS pollster for and Latvian Television.
The three parties trying to put together a new government coalition have prepared a draft declaration of their intentions, but are still to agree on which of them will take charge at which ministries, Latvian Radio reports.
The Rīga municipal “Honor to serve Rīga” party (GKR) has decided to cooperate with the Greens and Farmers Union (ZZS) potentially represented in the coalition of the future government, Latvian Television reported on September 6.
The government formation talks will continue with the aim of approving the next Cabinet of Ministers in the Saeima on Friday, September 15, Prime Minister candidate Evika Siliņa (New Unity) said after a meeting with the President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs.
With the future government of New Unity with the Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) and Progressives, not only ministers will change, but also Saeima officials – from committee leaders to the Speaker of the Parliament, who could be a ZZS politician, reports Latvian Television on September 5.
In the coalition which is in the process of being formed by New Unity, the Greens and Farmers Union (ZZS) and the Progressives, there is a willingness to work on a new Law on Cohabitation for same-sex persons, according to Progressives leader Kaspars Briškens, speaking on Latvian Television September 5.
After a call to donate funds to Russian occupation forces in Ukraine, the prosecutor's office is seeking a two-year prison sentence for former Rīga City Council deputy Igors Kuzmuks. The trial is still ongoing, Latvian Television reported on September 4.
Round-table talks on the composition of a possible new three-party coalition government were taking place Monday, September 4 involving the New Unity, Progressives, and Greens and Farmers' Union (ZZS) parties, reported Latvian Radio.
In the government formed by Evika Siliņa (New Unity), the political force would like to retain the post of finance minister, said Edmunds Jurēvics, Vice-President of the New Unity faction, in an interview on Latvian Television September 4.
The next Latvian government will attempt to be formed by three political forces – New Unity (Jaunā Vienotība), the Greens and Farmers' Union (ZZS) and the Progressives, announced the current minister of welfare Evika Siliņa (New Unity), who was nominated for the post of prime minister by President Edgars Rinkēvičs on August 24.
The United List (AS) political force will not support the potential future government of Evika Siliņa (New Unity), which has already agreed to work with the Progressives and Greens and Farmers Union (ZZS), AS said in a statement on September 1.
Prime ministerial candidate, Evika Siliņa, is waiting until Friday, September 1, for a United List decision on whether to participate in the offered coalition or not, along with New Unity, the Greens and Farmers Union (ZZS) and Progressives – despite earlier indications that the United List is not interested in a coalition of that composition.
The United List political force will not go to coalition-forming talks on Thursday, August 31, the Saeima deputy Igor Rajevs (United List) confirmed in an interview with Latvian Radio.
Prior to this week's public announcement, the National Alliance had not been informed about the move by the Prime Minister candidate Evika Siliņa (New Unity) to form a government without NA, Saeima deputy Jānis Dombrava (NA) told Latvian Television on August 30.
During ongoing coalition negotiations, the United List political grouping on Tuesday received an offer from prime ministerial candidate Evika Siliņa to form a four-party government alongside her own New Unity party and two other parties currently in opposition, namely the Greens and Farmers Union (ZZS) and the Progressives.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development (VARAM) will assess whether the financial crisis in Rēzekne City is the responsibility of the city mayor, executive, or council deputies, but someone will be held accountable, the Minister Māris Sprindžuks (United List) said in an interview with Latvian Radio on August 28.
Negotiations rolled on Monday as efforts continue to form a viable new government coalition, with Latvian Radio reporting that the New Unity party – which is leading the talks via prime ministerial nominee Evika Siliņa – wants control of the Finance, Foreign Affairs and Education and Science ministries.
The President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs has entrusted the new government formation to the current Welfare Minister, nominee for the post of Prime Minister Evika Siliņa (New Unity), the president announced after meeting with Siliņa at Rīga Castle on Thursday, August 24.
A decision will be made on the launch of a financial stabilization process in Rēzekne, Rēzekne City Council deputy Inara Groce said at a meeting of the Latgale sub-committee of the Saeima Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee, the LETA newswire reported August 23.
President Edgars Rinkēvičs confirmed August 23 what was already widely assumed to be the case – that there is very little chance of a five-party coalition government being formed.
The formation of a five-party coalition is unlikely, given the National Alliance's clear refusal to cooperate with the Progressives, so the next government will most likely be formed by four parties, namely New Unity, the Greens and Farmers Union (ZZS), the Progressives and the United List, professor of the University of Latvia Juris Rozenvalds predicted on Latvian Television, August 23.
After holding talks with all parties represented in Saeima on Monday and Tuesday, President Edgars Rinkēvičs will be welcoming representatives of five of them back to Rīga Castle on Wednesday, August 23 for more talks about whether they'd like to form a government.
The Saeima opposition parties Latvia First and For Stability!, which will meet with the President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs on Tuesday, believe the formation of the next government should not to be entrusted to the New Unity party, the parties' leaders Ainārs Šlesers and Aleksejs Rosļikovs told Latvian Television on August 22.
The Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has imposed a €70 penalty on the current Climate and Energy Minister Raimonds Čudars (New Unity) for illegally joining work positions, LETA reported August 21.
Political parties in Latvia started what – according to your view – are either fresh negotiations on the formation of a new government coalition, or a continuation of the negotiations that have already dragged on for months.
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