Latvia’s president asks opposition leader to form new government
Key takeaways
- If opposition leader Kulbergs were to succeed, the cabinet would still need to be approved by the parliament.
- Kulbergs, leader of the United List of smaller parties, which forms the largest opposition bloc in parliament, will take office if lawmakers approve him and his cabinet.
- “Considering recent events, I think the new prime minister should come from opposition parties,” President Rinkevics told a news conference on Saturday.
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If opposition leader Kulbergs were to succeed, the cabinet would still need to be approved by the parliament.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics shakes hands with opposition lawmaker Andris Kulbergs, who he proposed as the next prime minister after Evika Silina resigned, during a news conference at the Riga Castle, in Riga, Latvia, May 16, 2026 [Chancery of the President of Latvia/ Ilmars Znotins/Handout]By Al Jazeera Staff, AFP and ReutersPublished On 16 May 202616 May 2026Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics has backed opposition lawmaker Andris Kulbergs to replace Evika Silina for the top job after the prime minister resigned over an incident involving Ukrainian drones.
Kulbergs, leader of the United List of smaller parties, which forms the largest opposition bloc in parliament, will take office if lawmakers approve him and his cabinet.