First Kariņš cabinet explained

Cabinet Name:First Kariņš cabinet
Previous:Kučinskis cabinet
Legislature Term:13th Saeima
Election:2018 Latvian parliamentary election
Opposition Leader:Jānis Urbanovičs
Edgars Tavars
Aldis Gobzems
Opposition Party:Social Democratic Party "Harmony"
Union of Greens and Farmers
Political Party:The Conservatives
Development/For!
National Alliance
Unity
Who Owns the State? (2019–2021)
Cabinet Number:40th
State Head:Egils Levits
Government Head:Krišjānis Kariņš
Date Dissolved:14 December 2022
Date Formed:23 January 2019
Incumbent:2019–2022
Jurisdiction:Republic of Latvia
Successor:Second Kariņš' cabinet

The first Krišjānis Kariņš' cabinet (Latvian: Kariņa 1. ministru kabinets) was the 40th government of Latvia, sworn in on 23 January 2019 after Krišjānis Kariņš was proposed as Prime Minister by President Raimonds Vējonis and elected by the Saeima[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] and working until 14 December 2022, when Saeima passed a motion of confidence in the Second Kariņš' cabinet.[6]

The government was supported by a coalition of The Conservatives, the Development/For!, the National Alliance, the For a Humane Latvia, and the Unity as was predecessor of Opposition government from Union of Green and Farmers Māris Kučinskis.

In accordance with the Constitution of Latvia, the Cabinet of Ministers, after the first session of the 14th Saeima, has resigned and continued as a caretaker government until a new government was formed.

The cabinet is so far the longest-serving cabinet in the history of democratic Latvia, serving 1421 day and surpassing the previous record of 1077 days set by the Kučinskis cabinet, and the only one in democratic Latvian history to serve a full term of the Saeima.

Composition

The cabinet consisted of Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš and thirteen Ministers.

The composition of the Kariņš cabinet was as follows:[1] [2]

Nr.OfficeImageIncumbentPartyIn Office

Prime Minister of Latvia

Krišjānis KariņšNew Unity23 January 2019 – 14 December 2022
1.Minister for Justice of Latvia
Vice Prime Minister
Jānis BordānsThe Conservatives23 January 2019 – 14 December 2022
2.

Minister for Defence
Vice Prime Minister

Artis PabriksDevelopment/For!23 January 2019 – 14 December 2022
3.Minister for EconomicsRalfs NemiroKPV LV23 January 2019 – 16 March 2020
Jānis VitenbergsKPV LV2 April 2020 – 21 April 2021
National Alliance21 April 2021 – 14 May 2021
3 June 2021 – 18 May 2022
Ilze IndriksoneNational Alliance26 May 2022 – 14 December 2022
4.Minister for FinanceJānis ReirsNew Unity23 January 2019 – 14 December 2022
5.Minister for Foreign AffairsEdgars RinkēvičsNew Unity23 January 2019 – 14 December 2022
6.Minister for the InteriorSandis ĢirģensKPV LV23 January 2019 – 3 June 2021
Marija GolubevaDevelopment/For!3 June 2021 – 16 May 2022
Kristaps EklonsDevelopment/For!26 May 2022 – 14 December 2022
7.Minister for Education and ScienceIlga ŠuplinskaThe Conservatives23 January 2019 – 3 June 2021
Anita MuižnieceThe Conservatives3 June 2021 – 14 December 2022
8.Minister for CultureDace MelbārdeNational Alliance31 October 2013 – 4 July 2019
Nauris PuntulisNational Alliance8 July 2019 – 14 December 2022
9.Minister for WelfareRamona PetravičaKPV LV23 January 2019 – 3 June 2021
Gatis EglītisThe Conservatives3 June 2021 – 14 December 2022
10.Juris PūceDevelopment/For!23 January 2019 – 12 November 2020
Artūrs Toms PlešsDevelopment/For!17 December 2020 – 14 December 2022
11.Minister for TransportTālis LinkaitsThe Conservatives23 January 2019 – 14 December 2022
12.Minister for HealthIlze ViņķeleDevelopment/For!23 January 2019 – 7 January 2021
Daniels PavļutsDevelopment/For!8 January 2021 – 14 December 2022
13.Minister for AgricultureKaspars GerhardsNational Alliance23 January 2019 – 14 December 2022

History

Parking space scandal

In November 2020, Minister for Environmental Protection and Regional Development Juris Pūce was involved in scandal, that is infamously called the "Parking space scandal", that lead to his resignation from the post of Minister.[7]

The unusual scandal emerged after Riga City Councilor Māris Mičerevskis, a former party colleague of Pūce's accused him of using a parking spot he was no longer entitled to during an interview on LTV's 'One on One' show.

The next day, Pūce denied trying to get a free municipal parking pass in Riga, claiming that correspondence with Mičerevskis on the subject was just a joke.

However Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš failed to see the sunny side of this and said he expected the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) to get involved this case. Māris Mičerevskis left the coalition in the Council of Riga claiming it was corrupt.

On 12 November 2020 Juris Pūce resigned, and after fierce talks between Development/For! and Kariņš, Artūrs Toms Plešs was elected as Minister for Environmental Protection and Regional Development. He was the first minister to be born after the full restoration of Latvian independence in 1991.

Health Ministers scandal

Journalists and members of the public were left stunned as they coped with two simultaneous press briefings on 5 January 2021 following rumors in the morning that Viņķele would be dismissed over dissatisfaction with her vaccination plan.[8]

In one briefing, Ilze Viņķele outlined the Health Ministry's vaccination plans, while at exactly the same time Prime Minister Kariņš was announcing that he had lost confidence in his minister, due to the delay in presenting the vaccination plan she was presenting. He admitted not having read the plan himself, even as it was being presented in the parallel press conference. However, getting rid of Viņķele, whose own press conference seemed an attempt to show that a plan was indeed ready and had the backing of health professionals,

Viņķele herself signalled she would comply with the request to resign, while claiming that the vaccination plan that had been prepared was even more detailed than those adopted by Estonia and Germany.

She was dismissed on 7 January 2021. Although Vice-Prime Minister refused to take on Minister's position it was continued by Artis Pabriks for one day. On 8 January 2021 Daniels Pavļuts was chosen by Development/For! as the new Minister of Health. He was approved by Saeima by 61 votes out of 100.

Reshuffle

On 21 June 2021, New Unity, the New Conservatives, Development/For!, and the National Alliance signed a new memorandum on the objectives of their mutual cooperation. KPV LV was excluded from newly arranged coalition. This new coalition had 48 members, what meant that government officially became minority one.[9] [10]

Opinion polling

!Fieldwork date !Polling firm/Commissioner!Sample Size!Positive!Negative!No opinion!Total
May 2020Latvijas Fakti572914+28
published on May 12th 2020SKDS/LTV51,831,117,1+20,7
April 2020Latvijas Fakti542818+26
April 2020SKDS/LA46,230,623,2+15,6
7–26 April 2020Factum708511732+34
March 2020Latvijas Fakti483220+16
February 2020Latvijas Fakti403723+3
January 2020Latvijas Fakti3838240
December 2019Latvijas Fakti364420-8
30 Nov – 11 Dec 2019SKDS/NRA1538-6.4
November 2019Latvijas Fakti413524+6
published on November 6th 2019Kantar TNS4,3/10
October 2019Latvijas Fakti413722+4
September 2019Latvijas Fakti402931+11
August 2019Latvijas Fakti432928+14
July 2019Latvijas Fakti463123+15
June 2019Latvijas Fakti462825+18
May 2019Latvijas Fakti413524+6
April 2019Latvijas Fakti403525+5
March 2019Latvijas Fakti443026+14
February 2019Latvijas Fakti392536+14
February 2019SKDS/NRA38,025,836,2+12,2
January 2019Latvijas Fakti383131+7

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 23 January 2019. Latvia gets a new government led by Krišjānis Kariņš. 1 May 2019. Public Broadcasting of Latvia.
  2. Web site: 23 January 2019. Latvia's New Prime Minister Announces His Cabinet. 1 May 2019. Consuladoletonialisboa.com.
  3. Web site: 23 January 2019. Politicians discuss the pros and cons of Kariņš's government. 1 May 2019. Baltic News Network.
  4. Web site: 23 January 2019. Latvian coalition parties sign Kariņš's government declaration. 1 May 2019. Baltic News Network.
  5. Web site: 23 January 2019. Latvia's Karins confirmed as PM, ending lengthy political deadlock. 1 May 2019. Reuters.
  6. Web site: New Latvian government can start work after being approved by Saeima . 2022-12-14 . eng.lsm.lv . en.
  7. Web site: Minister Pūce quits over parking space scandal. 2021-01-06. eng.lsm.lv. en.
  8. Web site: Health Minister to be dismissed over vaccine plan differences. 2021-01-06. eng.lsm.lv. en.
  9. Web site: New coalition agreement signed among four political forces.
  10. Web site: Shake-up in coalition as KPV LV shown the door.