Latvian President Proposes Opposition Lawmaker as Next Prime Minister ...
Rinkevics said Kulbergs could lead a new government before October elections after Silina quit and the coalition lost its parliamentary majority.
- On Saturday, Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics proposed opposition lawmaker Andris Kulbergs as the next prime minister following Evika Silina's resignation. Kulbergs, from the United List, must secure parliamentary approval for his cabinet.
- The Progressives party withdrew support on Wednesday, leaving Silina without a parliamentary majority and exposed to a no-confidence vote. She resigned on Thursday, triggering the coalition's collapse just months before October elections.
- Tensions escalated after Silina dismissed Defence Minister Andris Spruds last weekend following two Ukrainian drones straying from Russia and exploding at an oil storage facility. The Latvian army failed to detect the drones upon entry.
- "Considering recent events, I think the new prime minister should come from opposition parties," Rinkevics told a press conference. He emphasized the opposition deserves an opportunity to change the current dynamic despite difficult negotiations ahead.
- Kulbergs previously gained prominence leading the parliamentary inquiry into Rail Baltica, where he argued the project's completion by 2030 remains highly unlikely. His appointment marks a significant shift as Latvia faces regional security challenges.
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35 Articles
Latvia prime minister resigns over "straying" Ukraine drones
Latvia's Prime Minister Evika Silina resigned on May 14 after a key party in her coalition withdrew support in a row over Ukrainian drones that strayed into the Baltic nation. The drones were on an attack mission across the border in Russia, and Ukraine said they crashed into Latvian territory on May 7 after being electronically diverted by the Russian military. One caused a fire at a disused oil storage site in eastern Latvia. Ms Silina on May …
Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs has nominated Andris Kulbergs, a member of the conservative opposition, as the next Prime Minister. Incumbent Prime Minister Evika Siliņa announced this week that she would step down following a political crisis involving Ukrainian drones that had entered Latvian airspace.
On the morning of 7 May, a drone crashed on an empty oil tank in eastern Latvia. Early in the year, a drone crashed in Auvere, on a power plant in Estonia. Since July 2025, several Ukrainian drones flying towards Russian ports on the Baltic Sea have been scrambled by Russia and are finishing their race in the Baltic countries, without any other damage than material for the time being.
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