Latvian parliament confirms new government

RIGA: The Latvian parliament voted on Friday to confirm Evika Silina as the Baltic state´s next prime minister, following the surprise resignation of her predecessor.

Silina, 48, said her government would prioritise national security as long as neighbouring Russia continued to wage war against Ukraine. “We will increase the defence budget and will strengthen our armed forces... We are supporting Ukraine,” Silina said in her confirmation speech after the new cabinet was approved by 53 lawmakers in the 100-seat parliament.

The former lawyer became a lawmaker last year and served as the welfare minister in the cabinet of her predecessor Krisjanis Karins. Karins announced last month that he was stepping down from leading the NATO and European Union country because of a rift within his governing coalition.

Premier since 2019, Karins saw his approval ratings fall after his most popular cabinet member, longtime foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics, stepped down to become president. The new coalition is helmed by the centrist New Unity party, represented by Silina as well as Karins, who will now head the foreign ministry. The government´s other parties are the centre-left Green Farmers Union and the progressive-left Progressive Party.