Prime Minister of Latvia

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

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 office was known as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, but is generally considered to have been the same role.

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.

Republic of Latvia (1918–1940)

Political Party:   LZS   Independent   MP   DC   PA   LJSP   CPSU

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)		 Term of Office Political Party Cabinet Saeima
Took Office Left Office Days
1
(1 of 4)		 Karlis Ulmanis.jpg Kārlis Ulmanis
(1877–1942)
Prime Minister
of the Provisional Government
1st Prime Minister		 18 November 1918 13 July 1919 944 Latvian Farmers’ Union
(LZS)		 I LZS – LNP – DC – DS PC
14 July 1919 8 December 1919 II LZS – LŽNP
DC joined later		 PC
( ···· )
9 December 1919 11 June 1920 III LZS – LŽNP
DS joined later		 PC
( ···· )
12 June 1920 18 June 1921 IV LZS – DS – LDP
DS exited later		 CA(1920)
2
(1 of 2)		 Zigfrids-Anna-Meierovics.jpg Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics
(1887–1925)
2nd Prime Minister		 19 June 1921 26 January 1923 587 Latvian Farmers’ Union
(LZS)		 I LZS – DC – MP – LTP
LTP exited later		 CA
( ···· )
3 – Jānis Pauļuks
(1865–1937)
3rd Prime Minister		 27 January 1923 27 June 1923 152 Independent I LZS – LSPDS – DC – LJS – MP 1 (1922)
2
(2 of 2)		 Zigfrids-Anna-Meierovics.jpg Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics
(1887–1925)		 28 June 1923 26 January 1924 213 Latvian Farmers’ Union
(LZS)		 II LZS – LSPDS – DC – LJS – MP 1 ( ···· )
4 Zamuels.jpg Voldemārs Zāmuēls
(1872–1948)
4th Prime Minister		 27 January 1924 18 December 1924 327 Independent I BNC – DC – LJS 1 ( ···· )
5
(1 of 2)		 – Hugo Celmiņš
(1877–1941)
5th Prime Minister		 19 December 1924 23 December 1925 370 Latvian Farmers’ Union
(LZS)		 I LZS – DC
MP and LJS joined later		 1 ( ···· )
1
(2 of 4)		 Karlis Ulmanis.jpg Kārlis Ulmanis
(1877–1942)		 24 December 1925 6 May 1926 134 Latvian Farmers’ Union
(LZS)		 V LZS – LJSP – LJS – LZP
NA joined later		 2 (1925)
6 – Arturs Alberings
(1877–1934)
6th Prime Minister		 7 May 1926 18 December 1926 226 Latvian Farmers’ Union
(LZS)		 I LZS – DC – LJSP – LJS – LZP 2 ( ···· )
7
(1 of 2)		 – Marģers Skujenieks
(1886–1941)
7th Prime Minister		 19 December 1926 23 January 1928 401 Mensheviks Party
(MP)		 I LSDSP – MP – LPP – DC – LJS
DC exited cabinet		 2 ( ···· )
8 Jurasevskis P.jpg Pēteris Juraševskis
(1872–1945)
8th Prime Minister		 24 January 1928 30 November 1928 312 Democratic Centre
(DC)		 I LZS – DC – LZP – VRP / DbRP 2 ( ···· )
5
(2 of 2)		 – Hugo Celmiņš
(1877–1941)		 1 December 1928 26 March 1931 846 Latvian Farmers’ Union
(LZS)		 II LZS – DC – LJSP – LDZA – LA – KNP – VRP / DbRP
DC, KNP, VRP / DbRP exited cabinet		 3 (1928)
1
(3 of 4)		 Karlis Ulmanis.jpg Kārlis Ulmanis
(1877–1942)		 27 March 1931 5 December 1931 254 Latvian Farmers’ Union
(LZS)		 VI LZS – LJSP – LDZA – NA – MKRA – LKZP – LPP 3 ( ···· )
7
(2 of 2)		 – Marģers Skujenieks
(1886–1941)		 6 December 1931 23 March 1933 474 Progressive Association of New Farmers
(PA)		 II PA – DC – LZS – LZPA
LJSP joined later		 4 (1931)
9 Adolfs Blodnieks.jpg Ādolfs Bļodnieks
(1889–1962)
9th Prime Minister		 24 March 1933 16 March 1934 358 Party of New Farmers and Smallholders
(LJSP)		 I LJSP – LZS – DC – LZPA – PA – LKKP – KDP
DC, PA exited cabinet		 4 ( ···· )
1
(4 of 4)		 Karlis Ulmanis.jpg Kārlis Ulmanis
(1877–1942)		 17 March 1934 15 May 1934 2287 Latvian Farmers’ Union
(LZS)		 VII LZS – KA – LKKP – LPP – KDP 4 ( ···· )
15 May 1934 19 June 1940 Independent VIII No party Dis.
– August Kirchenstein (cropped).png Augusts Kirhenšteins
(1872–1963)		 20 June 1940 25 August 1940 66 CPSU I CSPU Dis.
Notes

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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Republic of Latvia (1990–present)

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
1
(1 of 2)		 Ivars Godmanis saeima.jpg Ivars Godmanis
(born 1951)
10th Prime Minister		 7 May 1990 3 August 1993 1136 Popular Front of Latvia
(LTF)		 I LTF
LC joined later		 SC(1990)
2 Valdis Birkavs 2011-08-20.jpg Valdis Birkavs
(born 1942)
11th Prime Minister		 3 August 1993 15 September 1994 408 Latvian Way
(LC)		 I LC – LZS – LZP 5 (1993)
3 Māris Gailis 2011-08-20.jpg Māris Gailis
(born 1951)
12th Prime Minister		 15 September 1994 21 December 1995 462 Latvian Way
(LC)		 I LC – TPA – LZS – LZP
TB joined later and exited cabinet		 5 ( ···· )
4
(1 of 2)		 Andris Šķēle, 10. Saeimas portrets.jpg Andris Šķēle
(born 1958)
13th Prime Minister		 21 December 1995 13 February 1997 595 Independent I DP‘S’ – TB – LC – LNNK – LZS – LZP – LVP 6 (1995)
13 February 1997 7 August 1997 II DP‘S’ – TB – LC – LNNK – LZS – LZP
KDS joined later		 6 ( ···· )
5 Guntars Krasts 2011-08-20.jpg Guntars Krasts
(born 1957)
14th Prime Minister		 7 August 1997 26 November 1998 476 For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK
(TB/LNNK)		 I TB/LNNK – LC – LZS – LZP – DPS – KTP
DPS and KTP exited cabinet		 6 ( ···· )
6 Flag of the Prime Minister of Latvia.svg Vilis Krištopans
(born 1954)
15th Prime Minister		 26 November 1998 16 July 1999 232 Latvian Way
(LC)		 I LC – TB/LNNK – JP
LSDSP joined later		 7 (1998)
4
(2 of 2)		 Andris Šķēle, 10. Saeimas portrets.jpg Andris Šķēle
(born 1958)		 16 July 1999 5 May 2000 294 People’s Party
(TP)		 III TP – LC – TB/LNNK 7 ( ···· )
7 Flickr - Saeima - 9.Saeimas deputāts Andris Bērziņš (LPP-LC).jpg Andris Bērziņš
(1951–)
16th Prime Minister		 5 May 2000 7 November 2002 916 Latvian Way
(LC)		 I LC – TP – TB/LNNK – JP 7 ( ···· )
8 Einars Repse.jpeg Einars Repše
(born 1961)
17th Prime Minister		 7 November 2002 9 March 2004 488 New Era Party
(JL)		 I JL – TB/LNNK – LZS – LPP – LZP
LPP exited cabinet		 8 (2002)
9 Flickr - Saeima - 9.Saeimas deputāts Indulis Emsis.jpg Indulis Emsis
(born 1952)
18th Prime Minister		 9 March 2004 2 December 2004 268 Latvian Green Party
(LZP)		 I TP – LPP – LZS – LZP 8 ( ···· )
10 Flickr - Saeima - 9.Saeimas deputāts Aigars Kalvītis.jpg Aigars Kalvītis
(born 1966)
19th Prime Minister		 2 December 2004 7 November 2006 1113 People’s Party
(TP)		 I TP – JL – LZS – LPP – LZP
JL exited cabinet		 8 ( ···· )
7 November 2006 20 December 2007 II TP – LZS – LPP – TB/LNNK – LZP – LC 9 (2006)
1
(2 of 2)		 Ivars Godmanis saeima.jpg Ivars Godmanis
(born 1951)		 20 December 2007 12 March 2009 448 Latvia’s First Party/Latvian Way
(LPP/LC)		 II LPP/LC – TP – LZS – TB/LNNK – LZP 9 ( ···· )
11 Valdis Dombrovskis 2009.jpg Valdis Dombrovskis
(born 1971)
20th Prime Minister		 12 March 2009 3 November 2010 1777 New Era Party
(JL)
JL later replaced by V		 I JL – TP – TB/LNNK – LZS – LZP – PS 9 ( ···· )
3 November 2010 25 October 2011 II JL – PS – SCP – LZS – LZP – LP
JL, PS, SCP, LP later replaced by V		 10(2010)
25 October 2011 22 January 2014 Party “UNITY”
(V)		 III V – ZRP – NA 11 (2011)
12 26.janvāra Saeimas ārkārtas sēde (24621032625) (cropped).jpg Laimdota Straujuma
(born 1951)
21st Prime Minister		 22 January 2014 5 November 2014 750 Party “UNITY”
(V)		 I V – RP – NA – LZS – LZP 11 ( ···· )
5 November 2014 11 February 2016 II V – NA – LZS – LZP – LuV – LP 12(2014)
13 Flickr - Saeima - 10.Saeimas deputāts Māris Kučinskis.jpg Māris Kučinskis
(born 1961)
22nd Prime Minister		 11 February 2016 23 January 2019 1077 Liepāja Party
(LP)		 I V – NA – LZS – LZP – LuV – LP 12 ( ···· )
14 Karins, Krisjanis-9702.jpg Krišjānis Kariņš
(born 1964)
23rd Prime Minister		 23 January 2019 incumbent 817 New Unity
(JV)		 I JV – JKP – KPV LV – A/P! – NA 13(2018)

Statistics

# 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 0 years, 152 days 57 years, 228 days June 21, 1937 71 years, 221 days
4 Voldemārs Zāmuēls May 22, 1872 51 years, 250 days 0 years, 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 0 years, 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 0 years, 312 days 56 years, 252 days January 10, 1945 72 years, 293 days
9 Ādolfs Bļodnieks July 24, 1889 43 years, 243 days 0 years, 358 days 44 years, 235 days March 21, 1962 72 years, 240 day
10 Augusts Kirhenšteins September 18, 1872 67 years, 276 days 0 years, 66 days 67 years, 342 days November 11, 1963 91 years, 46 days
11 Ivars Godmanis November 27, 1951 38 years, 161 days 4 years, 124 days 57 years, 105 days Living 69 years, 143 days (Living)
12 Valdis Birkavs July 28, 1942 51 years, 6 days 1 year, 43 days 52 years, 49 days Living 78 years, 265 days (Living)
13 Māris Gailis July 9, 1951 43 years, 37 days 1 year, 97 days 44 years, 165 days Living 69 years, 284 days (Living)
14 Andris Šķēle January 16, 1958 37 years, 339 days 2 years, 159 days 42 years, 110 days Living 63 years, 93 days (Living)
15 Guntars Krasts October 16, 1957 39 years, 295 days 1 year, 111 days 41 years, 51 days Living 63 years, 185 days (Living)
16 Vilis Krištopans June 13, 1954 44 years, 166 days 0 years, 232 days 45 years, 33 days Living 66 years, 310 days (Living)
17 Andris Bērziņš August 4, 1951 48 years, 275 days 2 years, 186 days 51 years, 95 days Living 69 years, 258 days (Living)
18 Einars Repše December 9, 1961 40 years, 333 days 1 year, 123 days 42 years, 91 days Living 59 years, 131 days (Living)
19 Indulis Emsis January 2, 1952 52 years, 67 days 0 years, 268 days 52 years, 335 days Living 69 years, 107 days (Living)
20 Aigars Kalvītis June 27, 1966 38 years, 158 days 3 years, 18 days 42 years, 91 days Living 54 years, 296 days (Living)
21 Valdis Dombrovskis August 5, 1971 37 years, 219 days 4 years, 316 days 42 years, 170 days Living 49 years, 257 days (Living)
22 Laimdota Straujuma February 24, 1951 62 years, 332 days 2 years, 20 days 64 years, 352 days Living 70 years, 54 days (Living)
23 Māris Kučinskis November 28, 1961 54 years, 75 days 2 years, 345 days 57 years, 56 days Living 59 years, 142 days (Living)
24 Krišjānis Kariņš December 13, 1964 54 years, 41 days 2 years, 86 days Living 56 years, 127 days (Living)