Prime Minister of the Republic of Latvia | |
---|---|
Latvijas Republikas Ministru prezidents | |
Government of Latvia | |
Type | Head of government |
Member of | |
Appointer | President |
Term length | No term limit |
Inaugural holder | Kārlis Ulmanis |
Formation | 19 November 1918 |
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.
Political party: LZS Independent MP DC PA LJSP
No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Political party | Cabinet | Saeima | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Days | |||||||
1 [1] | Kārlis Ulmanis (1877–1942) | 18 November 1918 | 13 July 1919 | 944 | Latvian Farmers' Union | Provisional I LZS – LNP – DC – DS | People's Council | ||
14 July 1919 | 8 December 1919 | Provisional II LZS – LŽNP DC joined later | |||||||
9 December 1919 | 11 June 1920 | Provisional III LZS – LŽNP DS joined later | |||||||
12 June 1920 | 18 June 1921 | Ulmanis I LZS – DS – LDP DS exited later | Const. Assembly (1920) | ||||||
2 | Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics (1887–1925) | 19 June 1921 | 19 July 1922 | 587 | Meierovics I LZS – DC – MP – LTP LTP exited later | ||||
20 July 1922 | 26 January 1923 | Meierovics II LZS – MP – LDP | |||||||
3 | Jānis Pauļuks (1865–1937) | 27 January 1923 | 27 June 1923 | 152 | Independent | Pauļuks LZS – LSPDS – DC – LJS – MP | 1st (1922) | ||
(2) | Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics (1887–1925) | 28 June 1923 | 26 January 1924 | 213 | Latvian Farmers' Union | Meierovics III LZS – LSPDS – DC – LJS – MP | |||
4 | Voldemārs Zāmuēls (1872–1948) | 27 January 1924 | 18 December 1924 | 327 | Independent | Zāmuēls BNC – DC – LJS | |||
5 | Hugo Celmiņš (1877–1941) | 19 December 1924 | 23 December 1925 | 370 | Latvian Farmers' Union | Celmiņš I LZS – DC MP and LJS joined later | |||
(1) | Kārlis Ulmanis (1877–1942) | 24 December 1925 | 6 May 1926 | 134 | Ulmanis II LZS – LJSP – LJS – LZP NA joined later | 2nd (1925) | |||
6 | Arturs Alberings (1877–1934) | 7 May 1926 | 18 December 1926 | 226 | Alberings LZS – DC – LJSP – LJS – LZP | ||||
7 | Marģers Skujenieks (1886–1941) | 19 December 1926 | 23 January 1928 | 401 | Menshevik | Skujenieks I LSDSP – MP – LPP – DC – LJS DC exited cabinet | |||
8 | Pēteris Juraševskis (1872–1945) | 24 January 1928 | 30 November 1928 | 312 | Democratic Centre | Juraševskis LZS – DC – LZP – VRP / DbRP | |||
(5) | Hugo Celmiņš (1877–1941) | 1 December 1928 | 26 March 1931 | 846 | Latvian Farmers' Union | Celmiņš II LZS – DC – LJSP – LDZA – LA – KNP – VRP / DbRP DC, KNP, VRP / DbRP exited cabinet | 3rd (1928) | ||
(1) | Kārlis Ulmanis (1877–1942) | 27 March 1931 | 5 December 1931 | 254 | Ulmanis III LZS – LJSP – LDZA – NA – MKRA – LKZP – LPP | ||||
(7) | Marģers Skujenieks (1886–1941) | 6 December 1931 | 23 March 1933 | 474 | Progressive Association of New Farmers | Skujenieks II PA – DC – LZS – LZPA LJSP joined later | 4th (1931) | ||
9 | Ādolfs Bļodnieks (1889–1962) | 24 March 1933 | 16 March 1934 | 358 | Party of New Farmers and Smallholders | Bļodnieks LJSP – LZS – DC – LZPA – PA – LKKP – KDP DC, PA exited cabinet | |||
(1) [2] | Kārlis Ulmanis (1877–1942) | 17 March 1934 | 15 May 1934 | 2287 | Latvian Farmers' Union | Ulmanis IV LZS – KA – LKKP – LPP – KDP | |||
15 May 1934 | 19 June 1940 | Independent | Ulmanis V Independent | ||||||
— [3] | Augusts Kirhenšteins (1872–1963) | 20 June 1940 | 25 August 1940 | 66 | Independent (Pro-LKP) | Kirhenšteins Independent – LKP |
From 4 May 1990 after adopting the Declaration of the Restoration of Independence of the Republic.
Political party: LTF LC Independent TB/LNNK TP JL LZP LPP/LC V LP JV
No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Political party | Cabinet | Saeima | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Days | |||||||
10 | Ivars Godmanis (born 1951) | 7 May 1990 | 3 August 1993 | 1136 | Popular Front of Latvia | Godmanis I LTF LC joined later | SC (1990) | ||
11 | Valdis Birkavs (born 1942) | 3 August 1993 | 15 September 1994 | 408 | Latvian Way | Birkavs LC – LZS – LZP | 5th (1993) | ||
12 | Māris Gailis (born 1951) | 15 September 1994 | 21 December 1995 | 462 | Gailis LC – TPA – LZS – LZP TB joined later and exited cabinet | ||||
13 | Andris Šķēle (born 1958) | 21 December 1995 | 13 February 1997 | 595 | Independent | Šķēle I DP'S' – TB – LC – LNNK – LZS – LZP – LVP | 6th (1995) | ||
13 February 1997 | 7 August 1997 | Šķēle II DP'S' – TB – LC – LNNK – LZS – LZP KDS joined later | |||||||
14 | Guntars Krasts (born 1957) | 7 August 1997 | 26 November 1998 | 476 | For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK | Krasts TB/LNNK – LC – LZS – LZP – DPS – KTP DPS and KTP exited cabinet | |||
15 | Vilis Krištopans (born 1954) | 26 November 1998 | 16 July 1999 | 232 | Latvian Way | Krištopans LC – TB/LNNK – JP LSDSP joined later | 7th (1998) | ||
(13) | Andris Šķēle (born 1958) | 16 July 1999 | 5 May 2000 | 294 | People's Party | Šķēle III TP – LC – TB/LNNK | |||
16 | Andris Bērziņš (born 1951) | 5 May 2000 | 7 November 2002 | 916 | Latvian Way | Bērziņš LC – TP – TB/LNNK – JP | |||
17 | Einars Repše (born 1961) | 7 November 2002 | 9 March 2004 | 488 | New Era Party | Repše JL – TB/LNNK – LZS – LPP – LZP LPP exited cabinet | 8th (2002) | ||
18 | Indulis Emsis (born 1952) | 9 March 2004 | 2 December 2004 | 268 | Latvian Green Party | Emsis TP – LPP – LZS – LZP | |||
19 | Aigars Kalvītis (born 1966) | 2 December 2004 | 7 November 2006 | 1113 | People's Party | Kalvītis I TP – JL – LZS – LPP – LZP JL exited cabinet | |||
7 November 2006 | 20 December 2007 | Kalvītis II TP – LZS – LPP – TB/LNNK – LZP – LC | 9th (2006) | ||||||
(10) | Ivars Godmanis (born 1951) | 20 December 2007 | 12 March 2009 | 448 | Latvia's First Party/Latvian Way | Godmanis II LPP/LC – TP – LZS – TB/LNNK – LZP | |||
20 | Valdis Dombrovskis (born 1971) | 12 March 2009 | 3 November 2010 | 1777 | 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 JL, PS, SCP, LP later replaced by V | 10th (2010) | ||||||
25 October 2011 | 22 January 2014 | Unity | Dombrovskis III V – ZRP – NA | 11th (2011) | |||||
21 | Laimdota Straujuma (born 1951) | 22 January 2014 | 5 November 2014 | 750 | Straujuma I V – RP – NA – LZS – LZP | ||||
5 November 2014 | 11 February 2016 | Straujuma II V – NA – LZS – LZP – LuV – LP | 12th (2014) | ||||||
22 | Māris Kučinskis (born 1961) | 11 February 2016 | 23 January 2019 | 1077 | Liepāja Party | Kučinskis V – NA – LZS – LZP – LuV – LP | |||
23 | Krišjānis Kariņš (born 1964) | 23 January 2019 | 14 December 2022 | 1696 | New Unity | Kariņš I JV – JKP – KPV LV – A/P! – NA KPV LV exited cabinet | 13th (2018) | ||
14 December 2022 | 15 September 2023 | Kariņš II JV – NA – AS | 14th (2022) | ||||||
24 | Evika Siliņa (born 1975) | 15 September 2023 | Incumbent | 129 | Siliņa JV – ZZS – PRO |
# | Prime Minister | Date of birth | Age at ascension (first term) | Time in office (total) | Age at retirement (last term) | Date of death | Longevity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kārlis Ulmanis | September 4, 1877 | 41 years, 75 days | 9 years, 334 days | 62 years, 287 days | September 20, 1942 | 65 years, 16 days |
2 | Zigfrīds Meierovics | February 6, 1887 | 34 years, 133 days | 2 years, 70 days | 36 years, 354 days | August 22, 1925 | 38 years, 197 days |
3 | Jānis Pauļuks | November 12, 1865 | 57 years, 76 days | 152 days | 57 years, 228 days | June 21, 1937 | 71 years, 221 days |
4 | Voldemārs Zāmuēls | May 22, 1872 | 51 years, 250 days | 327 days | 52 years, 210 days | September 25, 1944 | 75 years, 239 days |
5 | Hugo Celmiņš | October 30, 1877 | 47 years, 50 days | 3 years, 121 days | 53 years, 147 days | July 30, 1941 | 63 years, 273 days |
6 | Arturs Alberings | January 8, 1876 | 50 years, 119 days | 226 days | 50 years, 345 days | April 26, 1934 | 58 years, 108 days |
7 | Marģers Skujenieks | June 22, 1886 | 40 years, 180 days | 2 years, 145 days | 46 years, 274 days | July 12, 1941 | 55 years, 20 days |
8 | Pēteris Juraševskis | March 23, 1872 | 55 years, 307 days | 312 days | 56 years, 252 days | January 10, 1945 | 72 years, 293 days |
9 | Ādolfs Bļodnieks | July 24, 1889 | 43 years, 243 days | 358 days | 44 years, 235 days | March 21, 1962 | 72 years, 240 day |
— | Augusts Kirhenšteins [3] | September 18, 1872 | 67 years, 276 days | 66 days | 67 years, 342 days | November 11, 1963 | 91 years, 46 days |
10 | Ivars Godmanis | November 27, 1951 | 38 years, 161 days | 4 years, 124 days | 57 years, 105 days | Living | 72 years, 56 days (living) |
11 | Valdis Birkavs | July 28, 1942 | 51 years, 6 days | 1 year, 43 days | 52 years, 49 days | Living | 81 years, 178 days (living) |
12 | Māris Gailis | July 9, 1951 | 43 years, 37 days | 1 year, 97 days | 44 years, 165 days | Living | 72 years, 197 days (living) |
13 | Andris Šķēle | January 16, 1958 | 37 years, 339 days | 2 years, 159 days | 42 years, 110 days | Living | 66 years, 6 days (living) |
14 | Guntars Krasts | October 16, 1957 | 39 years, 295 days | 1 year, 111 days | 41 years, 51 days | Living | 66 years, 98 days (living) |
15 | Vilis Krištopans | June 13, 1954 | 44 years, 166 days | 232 days | 45 years, 33 days | Living | 69 years, 223 days (living) |
16 | Andris Bērziņš | August 4, 1951 | 48 years, 275 days | 2 years, 186 days | 51 years, 95 days | Living | 72 years, 171 days (living) |
17 | Einars Repše | December 9, 1961 | 40 years, 333 days | 1 year, 123 days | 42 years, 91 days | Living | 62 years, 44 days (living) |
18 | Indulis Emsis | January 2, 1952 | 52 years, 67 days | 268 days | 52 years, 335 days | Living | 72 years, 20 days (living) |
19 | Aigars Kalvītis | June 27, 1966 | 38 years, 158 days | 3 years, 18 days | 42 years, 91 days | Living | 57 years, 209 days (living) |
20 | Valdis Dombrovskis | August 5, 1971 | 37 years, 219 days | 4 years, 316 days | 42 years, 170 days | Living | 52 years, 170 days (living) |
21 | Laimdota Straujuma | February 24, 1951 | 62 years, 332 days | 2 years, 20 days | 64 years, 352 days | Living | 72 years, 332 days (living) |
22 | Māris Kučinskis | November 28, 1961 | 54 years, 75 days | 2 years, 345 days | 57 years, 56 days | Living | 62 years, 55 days (living) |
23 | Krišjānis Kariņš | December 13, 1964 | 54 years, 41 days | 4 years, 235 days | 58 years, 276 days | Living | 59 years, 40 days (living) |
24 | Evika Siliņa | August 3, 1975 | 48 years, 43 days | 129 days | Living | 48 years, 172 days (living) |
1 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.
2 On 15 May 1934, prime minister Ulmanis dissolved parliament and banned all political parties (including his own Farmer's Union), establishing authoritarian rule.
3 Puppet leader appointed by Soviet authorities. Not recognized as such by the Latvian government.
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