Prime Minister of Latvia explained

Post:	Prime Minister
Body:	the Republic of Latvia
Native Name:	Latvian: Latvijas Republikas Ministru prezidents
Insignia:	Flag of the Prime Minister of Latvia.svgborder
Insigniasize:	125px
Insigniacaption:	Flag of the prime minister of Latvia
Incumbent:	Evika Siliņa
Incumbentsince:	15 September 2023
Department:	Government of Latvia
Type:	Head of government
Appointer:	President
Termlength:	No term limit
Inaugural:	Kārlis Ulmanis
Abolished:	1940–1991
Salary:	€53,601 annually^[1]

The prime minister of Latvia (Latvian: ministru prezidents) is the most powerful member of the Government of Latvia, who presides over the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers. The officeholder is nominated by the president of Latvia, but must be able to obtain the support of a parliamentary majority in the Saeima.

The tables below display all Latvian prime ministers from both the first period of Latvian independence (1918–1940) and since the country regained its independence (1990–present). From 1990 to 6 July 1993, the head of government was known as the chairman of the Council of Ministers.

A direct translation of the official Latvian term is minister-president. Although the equivalent is used in some European languages, it is not used conventionally in English.

List

1918–1940

Political party:

	Took office	Left office	Name	Days			Cabinet	Saeima
	width=80 rowspan=2	Portrait	Name	Term of office		Political party	Cabinet	Saeima
1		Kārlis Ulmanis	18 November 1918	13 July 1919		Latvian Farmers' Union	Provisional I LZS – LNP – DC – DS	People's Council
			14 July 1919	8 December 1919	Provisional II LZS – LŽNP
			9 December 1919	11 June 1920	Provisional III LZS – LŽNP
			12 June 1920	18 June 1921	Ulmanis I LZS – DS – LDP		Const. Assembly (1920)
2		Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics	19 June 1921	19 July 1922				Meierovics I LZS – DC – MP – LTP
2		Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics	20 July 1922	26 January 1923	Meierovics II LZS – MP – LDP
3		Jānis Pauļuks	27 January 1923	27 June 1923		Independent	Pauļuks LZS – LSPDS – DC – LJS – MP	1st (1922)
(2)		Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics	28 June 1923	26 January 1924		Latvian Farmers' Union	Meierovics III LZS – LSPDS – DC – LJS – MP
4		Voldemārs Zāmuēls	27 January 1924	18 December 1924		Independent	Zāmuēls BNC – DC – LJS
5		Hugo Celmiņš	19 December 1924	23 December 1925		Latvian Farmers' Union	Celmiņš I LZS – DC
(1)		Kārlis Ulmanis	24 December 1925	6 May 1926			Ulmanis II LZS – LJSP – LJS – LZP	2nd (1925)
6		Arturs Alberings	7 May 1926	18 December 1926			Alberings LZS – DC – LJSP – LJS – LZP
7		Marģers Skujenieks	19 December 1926	23 January 1928		Menshevik	Skujenieks I LSDSP – MP – LPP – DC – LJS
8		Pēteris Juraševskis	24 January 1928	30 November 1928		Democratic Centre	Juraševskis LZS – DC – LZP – VRP / DbRP
(5)		Hugo Celmiņš	1 December 1928	26 March 1931		Latvian Farmers' Union	Celmiņš II LZS – DC – LJSP – LDZA – LA – KNP – VRP / DbRP	3rd (1928)
(1)		Kārlis Ulmanis	27 March 1931	5 December 1931		Latvian Farmers' Union	Ulmanis III LZS – LJSP – LDZA – NA – MKRA – LKZP – LPP	3rd (1928)
(7)		Marģers Skujenieks	6 December 1931	23 March 1933		Progressive Association of New Farmers	Skujenieks II PA – DC – LZS – LZPA	4th (1931)
9		Ādolfs Bļodnieks	24 March 1933	16 March 1934		Party of New Farmers and Smallholders	Bļodnieks LJSP – LZS – DC – LZPA – PA – LKKP – KDP
(1)		Kārlis Ulmanis	17 March 1934	15 May 1934		Latvian Farmers' Union	Ulmanis IV LZS – KA – LKKP – LPP – KDP
(1)		Kārlis Ulmanis	15 May 1934	19 June 1940		Independent	Ulmanis V Independent
—		Augusts Kirhenšteins	20 June 1940	25 August 1940		Independent (Pro-LKP)	Kirhenšteins Independent – LKP

1990–present

From 4 May 1990 after adopting the Declaration of the Restoration of Independence of the Republic.

Political party:

	Took office	Left office	Name	Days			Cabinet	Saeima
	width=80 rowspan=2	Portrait	Name	Term of office		Political party	Cabinet	Saeima
10		Ivars Godmanis	7 May 1990	3 August 1993		Popular Front of Latvia	Godmanis I LTF	SC (1990)
11		Valdis Birkavs	3 August 1993	15 September 1994		Latvian Way	Birkavs LC – LZS – LZP	5th (1993)
12		Māris Gailis	15 September 1994	21 December 1995		Latvian Way	Gailis LC – TPA – LZS – LZP	5th (1993)
13		Andris Šķēle	21 December 1995	13 February 1997		Independent	Šķēle I DP'S' – TB – LC – LNNK – LZS – LZP – LVP	6th (1995)
13		Andris Šķēle	13 February 1997	7 August 1997	Šķēle II DP'S' – TB – LC – LNNK – LZS – LZP	Independent
14		Guntars Krasts	7 August 1997	26 November 1998		For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK	Krasts TB/LNNK – LC – LZS – LZP – DPS – KTP
15		Vilis Krištopans	26 November 1998	16 July 1999		Latvian Way	Krištopans LC – TB/LNNK – JP	7th (1998)
(13)		Andris Šķēle	16 July 1999	5 May 2000		People's Party	Šķēle III TP – LC – TB/LNNK
16		Andris Bērziņš	5 May 2000	7 November 2002		Latvian Way	Bērziņš LC – TP – TB/LNNK – JP
17		Einars Repše	7 November 2002	9 March 2004		New Era Party	Repše JL – TB/LNNK – LZS – LPP – LZP	8th (2002)
18		Indulis Emsis	9 March 2004	2 December 2004		Latvian Green Party	Emsis TP – LPP – LZS – LZP
19		Aigars Kalvītis	2 December 2004	7 November 2006		People's Party	Kalvītis I TP – JL – LZS – LPP – LZP
19		Aigars Kalvītis	7 November 2006	20 December 2007	Kalvītis II TP – LZS – LPP – TB/LNNK – LZP – LC	People's Party	9th (2006)
(10)		Ivars Godmanis	20 December 2007	12 March 2009		Latvia's First Party/Latvian Way		Godmanis II LPP/LC – TP – LZS – TB/LNNK – LZP
20		Valdis Dombrovskis	12 March 2009	3 November 2010		New Era Party		Dombrovskis I JL – TP – TB/LNNK – LZS – LZP – PS
			3 November 2010	25 October 2011	Dombrovskis II JL – PS – SCP – LZS – LZP – LP	New Era Party	10th (2010)
			25 October 2011	22 January 2014		Unity	Dombrovskis III V – ZRP – NA	11th (2011)
21		Laimdota Straujuma	22 January 2014	5 November 2014			Straujuma I V – RP – NA – LZS – LZP	11th (2011)
21		Laimdota Straujuma	5 November 2014	11 February 2016	Straujuma II V – NA – LZS – LZP – LuV – LP		12th (2014)
22		Māris Kučinskis	11 February 2016	23 January 2019		Liepāja Party	12th (2014)	Kučinskis V – NA – LZS – LZP – LuV – LP
23		Krišjānis Kariņš	23 January 2019	14 December 2022		New Unity	Kariņš I JV – JKP – KPV LV – A/P! – NA	13th (2018)
23		Krišjānis Kariņš	14 December 2022	15 September 2023	Kariņš II JV – NA – AS		14th (2022)
24		Evika Siliņa	15 September 2023	Incumbent			14th (2022)	Siliņa JV – ZZS – PRO

Timeline

1990–present

Statistics

	Prime Minister	Date of birth	Age at ascension	Time in office	Age at retirement	Date of death	Longevity
1	Ulmanis, KārlisKārlis Ulmanis	18770904September 4, 1877(September 4, 1877)	41 07541 years, 75 days	09 3349 years, 334 days	62 28762 years, 287 days	19420920September 20, 1942	65 years, 16 days
2	Meierovics, ZigfrīdsZigfrīds Meierovics	18870206February 6, 1887(February 6, 1887)	34 13334 years, 133 days	02 0702 years, 70 days	36 35436 years, 354 days	19250822August 22, 1925	38 years, 197 days
3	Pauļuks, JānisJānis Pauļuks	18651112November 12, 1865(November 12, 1865)	57 07657 years, 76 days	00 152152 days	57 22857 years, 228 days	19370621June 21, 1937	71 years, 221 days
4	Zāmuēls, VoldemārsVoldemārs Zāmuēls	18720522May 22, 1872(May 22, 1872)	51 25051 years, 250 days	00 327327 days	52 21052 years, 210 days	19480116September 25, 1944	75 years, 239 days
5	Celmiņš, HugoHugo Celmiņš	18771030October 30, 1877(October 30, 1877)	47 05047 years, 50 days	03 1213 years, 121 days	53 14753 years, 147 days	19410730July 30, 1941	63 years, 273 days
6	Alberings, ArtursArturs Alberings	18760108January 8, 1876(January 8, 1876)	50 11950 years, 119 days	00 226226 days	50 34550 years, 345 days	19340426April 26, 1934	58 years, 108 days
7	Skujenieks, MarģersMarģers Skujenieks	18860622June 22, 1886(June 22, 1886)	40 18040 years, 180 days	02 1452 years, 145 days	46 27446 years, 274 days	19410712July 12, 1941	55 years, 20 days
8	Juraševskis, PēterisPēteris Juraševskis	18720323March 23, 1872(March 23, 1872)	55 30755 years, 307 days	00 312312 days	56 25256 years, 252 days	19450110January 10, 1945	72 years, 293 days
9	Blzodnieks, AzdolfsĀdolfs Bļodnieks	18890724July 24, 1889(July 24, 1889)	43 24343 years, 243 days	00 358358 days	44 23544 years, 235 days	19620321March 21, 1962	72 years, 240 day
—		18720918September 18, 1872(September 18, 1872)	67 27667 years, 276 days	00 06666 days	67 34267 years, 342 days	19631103November 11, 1963	91 years, 46 days
10	Godmanis, IvarsIvars Godmanis	19511127November 27, 1951(November 27, 1951)	38 16138 years, 161 days	04 1244 years, 124 days	57 10557 years, 105 days	Living	(living)
11	Birkavs, ValdisValdis Birkavs	19420728July 28, 1942(July 28, 1942)	51 00651 years, 6 days	01 0431 year, 43 days	52 04952 years, 49 days	Living	(living)
12	Gailis, MārisMāris Gailis	19510709July 9, 1951(July 9, 1951)	43 03743 years, 37 days	01 0971 year, 97 days	44 16544 years, 165 days	Living	(living)
13	Szkzēle, AndrisAndris Šķēle	19580116January 16, 1958(January 16, 1958)	37 33937 years, 339 days	02 1592 years, 159 days	42 11042 years, 110 days	Living	(living)
14	Krasts, GuntarsGuntars Krasts	19571016October 16, 1957(October 16, 1957)	39 29539 years, 295 days	01 1111 year, 111 days	41 04141 years, 51 days	Living	(living)
15	Krisztopans, VilisVilis Krištopans	19540613June 13, 1954(June 13, 1954)	44 16644 years, 166 days	00 232232 days	45 03345 years, 33 days	Living	(living)
16	Bērziņš, AndrisAndris Bērziņš	19510804August 4, 1951(August 4, 1951)	48 27548 years, 275 days	02 1862 years, 186 days	51 09551 years, 95 days	Living	(living)
17	Repše, EinarsEinars Repše	19611209December 9, 1961(December 9, 1961)	40 33340 years, 333 days	01 1231 year, 123 days	42 09142 years, 91 days	Living	(living)
18	Emsis, IndulisIndulis Emsis	19520102January 2, 1952(January 2, 1952)	52 06752 years, 67 days	00 268268 days	52 33552 years, 335 days	Living	(living)
19	Kalvītis, AigarsAigars Kalvītis	19660627June 27, 1966(June 27, 1966)	38 15838 years, 158 days	03 0183 years, 18 days	41 17642 years, 91 days	Living	(living)
20	Dombrovskis, ValdisValdis Dombrovskis	19710805August 5, 1971(August 5, 1971)	37 21937 years, 219 days	04 3164 years, 316 days	42 17042 years, 170 days	Living	(living)
21	Straujuma, LaimdotaLaimdota Straujuma	19510224February 24, 1951(February 24, 1951)	62 33262 years, 332 days	02 0202 years, 20 days	64 35264 years, 352 days	Living	(living)
22	Kučinskis, MārisMāris Kučinskis	19611128November 28, 1961(November 28, 1961)	54 07554 years, 75 days	02 3452 years, 345 days	57 05657 years, 56 days	Living	(living)
23	Kariņš, Arturs KrišjānisKrišjānis Kariņš	19641213December 13, 1964(December 13, 1964)	54 04154 years, 41 days	4 years, 235 days	58 years, 276 days	Living	(living)
24	Evika Siliņa	19750803August 3, 1975(December 13, 1964)	48 04348 years, 43 days	00 304 days		Living	(living)

Notes: During the 1918–1920 Independence War, Latvia was contested by two other governments: the government of Soviet Latvia, led by Pēteris Stučka, and the government of Andrievs Niedra, backed by Baltic Germans. Some sources may list Stučka and Niedra as prime ministers for periods when their governments controlled most of Latvia.

On 15 May 1934, prime minister Ulmanis dissolved parliament and banned all political parties (including his own Farmer's Union), establishing authoritarian rule.

Puppet leader appointed by Soviet authorities. Not recognized as such by the Latvian government.

External links

Official list from the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers

Notes and References

Web site: IG.com Pay Check. IG.