Latvia’s parliament elects popular foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics as the new president

The Latvian lawmakers, on Wednesday (May 31) elected the popular and long-time foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics as the Baltic nation’s next president, said the country’s Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins.

The 49-year-old will also become the first openly gay president in the Baltic nationand will represent the European Union and NATO member nations at the security alliance’s upcoming summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Rinkevics’ election

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Rinkevics will serve a four-year term and is expected to be sworn in on July 8. Latvia’s long-time top diplomat received 52 votes from the 100-seat Saeima legislature, onemore than what was required to win.

He was contesting against businessman Uldis Pilens who managed to garner 25 votes in the third round of voting. Meanwhile, the third candidate, Elina Pinto, dropped out of the race. Rinkevics ran as the candidate of his and PM Karins’ New Unity party.

The incumbent President Egils Levits, who took office in 2019, did not seek re-election after Karins’ three-party coalition could not agree on a joint candidate. Reportedly, Levits said he would not run if that was the case.

After the election, Rinkevics took to Twitter and wrote, “I am honoured and humbled to be elected as President of the Republic of Latvia, I will do my best to serve the people of Latvia well. I thank Members of Parliament for their trust.”

What do we know about thepresident-elect?

Rinkevics has held multiple posts in the Latvian government, including that of state secretary andthe defence ministry. According to reports, he also worked as a journalist at Latvian Radio in the 1990s. He has been a popular figure in Latvian politics as well as among the 1.9 million people of the Baltic nation, because of his tough stance against Russia and staunch support for Ukraine.

After the elections, Rinkevics addressed a press conference and reiterated his unwavering support for the war-torn country and urged countries to give Ukraine possible signals and reassurance of NATO membership in the upcoming summit which will be held in July in Lithuania.

The country’s top diplomat since 2011 will also become the first openly gay president among the former Soviet nations. Heannounced in 2014 that he is “proudly” homosexual. The 49-year-old is set to take the largely ceremonial position and will become Latvia’s 11th head of state since its independence in 1918.

(With inputs from agencies)

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