Latvia's president asks Prime Minister Kulbergs to build the next government
Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs to form the next government. Kulbergs' United List won a record 41 of 100 seats in Saturday's election. He will first talk with his current partners, which would give a 58-seat majority, and has ruled out working with second-place Latvia First.
Latvia's election winner has the first shot at forming a government. President Edgars Rinkēvičs said Tuesday he had asked Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs to lead coalition talks, Latvian Public Media (LSM) reported.
Kulbergs' party, the United List, won 41 seats in the 100-seat parliament, known as the Saeima. That is a record for the party. "A 41-vote majority in the Saeima is something unique," Rinkēvičs said after meeting Kulbergs. He said most parties, though not all, support Kulbergs starting the talks.
The move is political, not legal. Under Latvian rules, the president can only formally nominate a prime minister after the new Saeima meets and the current government resigns. Naming a likely candidate early lets parties work out a coalition and a policy plan in time. The new parliament holds its first sitting on Nov. 3.
Kulbergs will start with his current partners, the National Alliance and New Unity. They won 10 and seven seats. Together with the United List, they would hold 58 seats, a solid majority, Anadolu Agency reported.
A two-party deal with only the National Alliance is possible. It would have 51 seats, a slim margin. Experts cited by LSM see the three-party coalition as the most likely result, though other options remain open.
Kulbergs has ruled out working with Latvia First, which came second with 17 seats. LSM said one reason is the election of Aleksandrs Bartaševičs, a former mayor of Rēzekne, to parliament on a list linked to that party.
The talks will cover who joins the coalition, how ministries are shared and a draft government declaration, which sets out the new cabinet's plans.
What we know: Kulbergs will lead talks, starting with his current partners.
What we don't: Whether New Unity joins, and when a cabinet will be ready.
Where outlets agree LSM and Anadolu Agency both report that Kulbergs will first negotiate with the National Alliance and New Unity, a pairing that would hold 58 of 100 seats.
Where they differ A two-party coalition with only the National Alliance would hold a slim 51 seats, and experts cited by LSM say a three-party deal is likelier but not certain.