Latvia President Tasks Opposition Figure with Forming New Government

(MENAFN) Latvia is heading toward the formation of a new government after the country’s president appointed an opposition figure to lead the process following the breakdown of the ruling coalition.

President Edgars Rinkevics announced that he has asked opposition politician Andris Kulbergs to attempt to assemble a new cabinet after consultations with political parties on Saturday.

The decision comes shortly after Prime Minister Evika Silina stepped down, triggering the collapse of the three-party governing alliance and leaving the country in a transitional political phase.

Rinkevics said that allowing the outgoing administration to remain in a caretaker capacity until parliamentary elections in five months would be less preferable than forming a new government. He acknowledged, however, that building a fresh coalition would not be straightforward due to heightened political tensions.

“It won't be an easy path; it will be quite a complicated path because the political rhetoric has been heated," he admitted.

The president also stressed the need to accelerate the process given the limited time remaining before the upcoming elections.

Kulbergs, whose United List is currently the largest opposition bloc in parliament, said any future government should prioritize national security, fiscal stability, and anti-corruption measures. He called for a pragmatic approach focused on cooperation rather than political confrontation.

"This must be a coalition of action, where emotions and disputes must be put aside," Kulbergs told reporters at Riga Castle.

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