Prime Minister of Latvia

The prime minister of Latvia () 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 of Prime Ministers

Republic of Latvia: 1918–1940

Political party:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:100%;"

! rowspan=2 |

! width=80 rowspan=2 | Portrait

! rowspan=2 | Name

! colspan=3 | Term of office

! rowspan=2 colspan=2| Political party

! rowspan=2 | Cabinet

! rowspan=2 | Saeima

! Took office

! Left office

! style="width:10px" |Tenure

! rowspan=4| 1

| rowspan=4| 80px

| rowspan=4| Kārlis Ulmanis

| 18 November 1918

| 13 July 1919

| rowspan=4|

! rowspan=4 style="background:;"|

| rowspan=6 style="width:200px" | Latvian Farmers' Union

| Provisional I LZS–LNP–DC–DS

| rowspan=3| 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

| rowspan=3| Const. Assembly (1920)

! rowspan=2| 2

| rowspan=2| 80px

| rowspan=2| Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics

| 19 June 1921

| 19 July 1922

| rowspan=2|

| rowspan=2; style="background:;"|

| Meierovics I LZS–DC–MP–LTP

| 20 July 1922

| 26 January 1923

| Meierovics II LZS–MP–LDP

! 3

| 80px

| Jānis Pauļuks

| 27 January 1923

| 27 June 1923

|

| style="background:;"|

| Independent

| Pauļuks LZS–LSPDS–DC–LJS–MP

| rowspan=4| 1st (1922)

! (2)

| 80px

| Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics

| 28 June 1923

| 26 January 1924

|

| style="background:"|

| Latvian Farmers' Union

| Meierovics III LZS–LSPDS–DC–LJS–MP

! 4

| 80px

| Voldemārs Zāmuēls

| 27 January 1924

| 18 December 1924

|

| style="background:;"|

| Independent

| Zāmuēls BNC–DC–LJS

! 5

| 80px

| Hugo Celmiņš

| 19 December 1924

| 23 December 1925

|

| style="background:"|

| rowspan=3| Latvian Farmers' Union

| Celmiņš I LZS–DC

! (1)

| 80px

| Kārlis Ulmanis

| 24 December 1925

| 6 May 1926

|

| style="background:;"|

| Ulmanis II LZS–LJSP–LJS–LZP

| rowspan=4| 2nd (1925)

! 6

| 80px

| Arturs Alberings

| 7 May 1926

| 18 December 1926

|

| style="background:;"|

| Alberings LZS–DC–LJSP–LJS–LZP

! 7

| 80px

| Marģers Skujenieks

| 19 December 1926

| 23 January 1928

|

| style="background:coral;"|

| Menshevik

| Skujenieks I LSDSP–MP–LPP–DC–LJS

! 8

| 80px

| Pēteris Juraševskis

| 24 January 1928

| 30 November 1928

|

| style="background:;"|

| Democratic Centre

| Juraševskis LZS–DC–LZP–VRP/DbRP

! (5)

| 80px

| Hugo Celmiņš

| 1 December 1928

| 26 March 1931

|

| style="background:;"|

| rowspan=2| Latvian Farmers' Union

| Celmiņš II LZS–DC–LJSP–LDZA–LA–KNP–VRP/DbRP

| rowspan=2| 3rd (1928)

! (1)

| 80px

| Kārlis Ulmanis

| 27 March 1931

| 5 December 1931

|

| style="background:;"|

| Ulmanis III LZS–LJSP–LDZA–NA–MKRA–LKZP–LPP

! (7)

| 80px

| Marģers Skujenieks

| 6 December 1931

| 23 March 1933

|

| style="background:darkred;"|

| Progressive Association of New Farmers

| Skujenieks II PA–DC–LZS–LZPA

| rowspan=3| 4th (1931)

! 9

| 80px

| Ādolfs Bļodnieks

| 24 March 1933

| 16 March 1934

|

| style="background:skyblue"|

| Party of New Farmers and Smallholders

| Bļodnieks LJSP–LZS–DC–LZPA–PA–LKKP–KDP

! rowspan=2| (1)

| rowspan=2| 80px

| rowspan=2| Kārlis Ulmanis

| 17 March 1934

| 15 May 1934

| rowspan=2|

| style="background:"|

| Latvian Farmers' Union

| Ulmanis IV LZS–KA–LKKP–LPP–KDP

| 15 May 1934

| 19 June 1940

| style="background:;"|

| Independent

| Ulmanis V Independent

! rowspan=2|

! —

| 80px

| Augusts Kirhenšteins

| 20 June 1940

| 25 August 1940

|

| style="background:;"|

| Independent (Pro-LKP)

| Kirhenšteins Independent–LKP

Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic: 1940-1990

From 1940 to 1990, the Republic of Latvia was under occupation by the Soviet Union. In place of the internationally recognised republican institutions, the Soviet-installed Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic de-facto governed the country and implemented its own government structures.

Political party:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="2" |

! rowspan="2" |Portrait

! rowspan="2" | Name

! colspan="3" | Term of Office

! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Political Party

!Took office

!Left office

! style="width:10px" |Tenure

!—

|80px

|Vilis Lācis (1904–1966)

|25 August 1940

|27 November 1959

|

|style="background-color:" |

|style="width:200px" |Communist Party of Latvia

!—

|80px

|Jānis Peive (1906–1976)

|27 November 1959

|23 April 1962

|

|style="background-color:" |

|Communist Party of Latvia

!—

|80px

|Vitālijs Rubenis (1914–1994)

|23 April 1962

|5 May 1970

|

|style="background-color:" |

|Communist Party of Latvia

!—

|80px

|Jurijs Rubenis (1925–2004)

|5 May 1970

|6 October 1988

|

|style="background-color:" |

|Communist Party of Latvia

!—

|80px

|Vilnis Edvīns Bresis (1938–2017)

|6 October 1988

|7 May 1990

|

|style="background-color:" |

|Communist Party of Latvia

Republic of Latvia: 1990–present

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

Political party:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:100%; border:1px #AAAAFF solid"

! rowspan="2" |

! rowspan="2" width="80" | Portrait

! rowspan="2" | Name

! colspan="3" | Term of office

! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | Political party

! rowspan="2" | Cabinet

! rowspan="2" | Saeima

! Took office

! Left office

! style="width:10px" |Tenure

! 10

| 80px

| Ivars Godmanis

| 7 May 1990

| 3 August 1993

|

| style="background:;" |

| style="width:200px" |Popular Front of Latvia

| Godmanis I LTF

| SC (1990)

! 11

| 80px

| Valdis Birkavs

| 3 August 1993

| 15 September 1994

|

| style="background:;" |

| rowspan="2" |Latvian Way

| Birkavs LC–LZS–LZP

| rowspan="2" | 5th (1993)

! 12

| 80px

| Māris Gailis

| 15 September 1994

| 21 December 1995

|

| style="background:;" |

| Gailis LC–TPA–LZS–LZP

! rowspan="2" | 13

| rowspan="2" | 80px

| rowspan="2" | Andris Šķēle

| 21 December 1995

| 13 February 1997

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" style="background:;" |

| rowspan="2" |Independent

| Šķēle I DP'S'–TB–LC–LNNK–LZS–LZP–LVP

| rowspan="3" | 6th (1995)

| 13 February 1997

| 7 August 1997

| Šķēle II DP'S'–TB–LC–LNNK–LZS–LZP

! 14

| 80px

| Guntars Krasts

| 7 August 1997

| 26 November 1998

|

| style="background:;" |

| For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK

|Krasts TB/LNNK–LC–LZS–LZP–DPS–KTP

! 15

| 80px

| Vilis Krištopans

| 26 November 1998

| 16 July 1999

|

| style="background:;" |

| Latvian Way

| Krištopans LC–TB/LNNK–JP

| rowspan="3" | 7th (1998)

! (13)

| 80px

| Andris Šķēle

| 16 July 1999

| 5 May 2000

|

| style="background:;" |

| People's Party

| Šķēle III TP–LC–TB/LNNK

! 16

| 80px

| Andris Bērziņš

| 5 May 2000

| 7 November 2002

|

| style="background:;" |

| Latvian Way

| Bērziņš LC–TP–TB/LNNK–JP

! 17

| 80px

| Einars Repše

| 7 November 2002

| 9 March 2004

|

| style="background:" |

| New Era Party

| Repše JL–TB/LNNK–LZS–LPP–LZP

| rowspan="3" | 8th (2002)

! 18

| 80px

| Indulis Emsis

| 9 March 2004

| 2 December 2004

|

| style="background:" |

| Latvian Green Party

| Emsis TP – LPP – LZS – LZP

! rowspan="2" | 19

| rowspan="2" | 80px

| rowspan="2" | Aigars Kalvītis

| 2 December 2004

| 7 November 2006

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" style="background:;" |

| rowspan="2" | People's Party

| Kalvītis I TP–JL–LZS–LPP–LZP

| 7 November 2006

| 20 December 2007

| Kalvītis II TP–LZS–LPP–TB/LNNK–LZP–LC

| rowspan="3" | 9th (2006)

! (10)

| 80px

| Ivars Godmanis

| 20 December 2007

| 12 March 2009

|

| style="background:" |

| Latvia's First Party/Latvian Way

| Godmanis II LPP/LC–TP–LZS–TB/LNNK–LZP

! rowspan="3" | 20

| rowspan="3" | 80px

| rowspan="3" | Valdis Dombrovskis

| 12 March 2009

| 3 November 2010

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="2" style="background:;" |

| rowspan="2" | 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

| 10th (2010)

| 25 October 2011

| 22 January 2014

| style="background:; color:white" |

| rowspan="3" | Unity

| Dombrovskis III V–ZRP–NA

| rowspan="2" | 11th (2011)

! rowspan="2" | 21

| rowspan="2" | 80px

| rowspan="2" | Laimdota Straujuma

| 22 January 2014

| 5 November 2014

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" style="background:;" |

| Straujuma I V–RP–NA–LZS–LZP

| 5 November 2014

| 11 February 2016

| Straujuma II V–NA–LZS–LZP–LuV–LP

| rowspan="2" | 12th (2014)

! 22

| 80px

| Māris Kučinskis

| 11 February 2016

| 23 January 2019

|

| style="background:#009900;" |

| Liepāja Party

| Kučinskis V–NA–LZS–LZP–LuV–LP

! rowspan="2" | 23

| rowspan="2" | 80px

| rowspan="2" | Krišjānis Kariņš

| 23 January 2019

| 14 December 2022

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" style="background:" |

| rowspan="3" | New Unity

| Kariņš I JV–JKP–KPV LV–A/P!–NA

| 13th (2018)

| 14 December 2022

| 15 September 2023

| Kariņš II JV–NA–AS

| rowspan="3" | 14th (2022)

! 24

| 80px

| Evika Siliņa

| 15 September 2023

| 28 May 2026

|

| style="background:" |

| Siliņa JV–ZZS–PRO PRO exited cabinet

!25

| 80px

| Andris Kulbergs

| 28 May 2026

| Incumbent

|

| style="background:" |

| United List

| Kulbergs AS–JV–NA–ZZS

Timeline

Statistics

{| class="wikitable sortable"

! #

! Prime Minister

! Date of birth

! Age at ascension

! Time in office

! Age at retirement

! Date of death

! Longevity

| align="center" | 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

| align="center" | 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

| align="center" | 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

| align="center" | 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

| align="center" | 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

| align="center" | 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

| align="center" | 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

| align="center" | 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

| align="center" | 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 days

| align="center" | —

| Augusts Kirhenšteins

| 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

| align="center" | 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)

| align="center" | 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)

| align="center" | 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)

| align="center" | 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)

| align="center" | 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)

| align="center" | 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)

| align="center" | 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)

| align="center" | 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)

| align="center" | 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)

| align="center" | 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)

| align="center" | 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)

| align="center" | 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)

| align="center" | 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)

| align="center" | 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)

| align="center" |24

|Evika Siliņa

|19750803August 3, 1975(August 3, 1975)

|48 04348 years, 43 days

|2 years, 255 days

|50 years, 298 days

|Living

| (living)

|- bgcolor="ccccff" style="font-weight:bold"

| align="center" |25

|Andris Kulbergs

| 19790526(May 26, 1979)

| 47 03

| colspan="2" | Incumbent

| 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.

References

External links

Official list from the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers

he:פוליטיקה של לטביה#ראש ממשלת לטביה

List of Prime Ministers

Republic of Latvia: 1918–1940

Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic: 1940-1990

Republic of Latvia: 1990–present

Timeline

Statistics

See also

Notes

References

External links