Latvia’s Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins announced on Monday that he will step down with his entire executive on Thursday, justifying the decision with the “lack of dynamism” within the ruling coalition.
“Today I am going to ask the leaders of the New Unity (JV) party (JV, of which Karins is a member) to nominate a new candidate for the prime minister. That means there will be a new prime minister,” said the 58-year-old US-born politician, united for journalists.
To justify his decision, the politician invoked a “lack of momentum” and the “need for a new government coalition”.
“Currently, the Nova Unidad and the National Alliance (two parties within the coalition) are blocking work for prosperity and economic growth” in the country, Karin also stated on the social network X (ex-Twitter).
Šobrid @Apvienotais_ An @VL_TBLNNK it is possible to use a calculator in the laboratory. More information @Jauna_Vienotiba If you try to make a valdi, you can make sure you can’t miss demisijas rakstu. esmu aicinajis #JV izvirzīt jaunu Ministru prezidenta kandidātu. pic.twitter.com/R0tdZlHRxN
– Krišjānis Kariņš (@krisjaniskarins) August 14, 2023
Latvia, a member of NATO and the European Union (EU), held its last parliamentary elections in October 2022.
The pro-Western party Nova Unidad won the elections with almost 19% of the vote, but only managed to form a coalition with 53 deputies out of 100 parliamentarians.
The JV party joined the United List (Greens and regional center parties) and the National Alliance (centre right) to form the new coalition.
Karins, Latvia’s prime minister since 2019, recently tried to broaden the coalition by inviting left-wing social-democratic progressives to join the government, but faced strong criticism from the ruling bloc.
New Unity is now expected to nominate a candidate to succeed Karins following the latter’s formal resignation.
The Latvian Prime Minister has announced that he will formally tender his resignation to Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics on Thursday.
Karins was prime minister in two coalition governments between 2018 and 2022 and also minister of economic affairs and MEP.
Source: DN
