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Latvian government collapses, formally submits resignation — media

Earlier, the center-right New Unity party announced a new candidate for the prime ministerial post

VILNIUS, August 17. /TASS/. Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins has informed Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics that his government has formally submitted its resignation, the Rus.lsm.lv news portal reported.

The head of state confirmed the resignation of the Cabinet at a press conference, thanked Karins for his work, and said that next week consultations will commence with the political forces represented in the Saeima (Latvia’s unicameral parliament) to form a new coalition government. Rinkevics also noted that Latvian society "expects a number of issues to be resolved, such as high electricity tariffs, interest rates on bank loans and rising food prices."

Earlier, the center-right New Unity party, which was part of the ruling coalition and under whose banner Karins was returned as prime minister in the 2022 elections, announced a new candidate for the prime ministerial post: incumbent Welfare Minister Evika Silina. She, in turn, announced her readiness to form a new government, together with the Progressives and the Union of Greens and Farmers (UGF) parties, which had previously been in opposition.

The Rus.lsm.lv news portal reported on August 9 that Karins had offered his coalition partners - the National Union and the United List - to reshuffle ministers and areas of responsibility within his government. Otherwise, he promised to negotiate the formation of a new coalition with the UGF and the Progressives. Later, President Rinkevics said that the formation of a new government would be impossible, as under the constitution this process can only be initiated by the head of state.

The government crisis in Riga was sparked by a number of disagreements between the members of Karins’ ruling coalition on a number of fundamental issues related to health care, education, labor shortages, capital market development, and the budget.

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