The prime minister of Latvia () is the most powerful member of the
Government of Latvia
The government of Latvia is the central government of the Republic of Latvia. The Constitution of Latvia () defines Latvia as a parliamentary republic represented by a unicameral parliament (Saeima) and the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republ ...
, who presides over the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers. The officeholder is nominated by the
president of Latvia
The president of Latvia ( ) is head of state and commander-in-chief of the Latvian National Armed Forces, National Armed Forces of the Latvia, Republic of Latvia.
The term of this office is four years. Before 1999, it was three years. The presi ...
, but must be able to obtain the support of a parliamentary majority in the
Saeima
The Saeima () is the parliament of the Latvia, Republic of Latvia. It is a unicameral parliament consisting of 100 members who are elected by proportional representation, with seats allocated to political parties which gain at least 5% of the p ...
.
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
1918–1940
Political party:
1990–present
From 4 May 1990 after adopting the
Declaration of the Restoration of Independence of the Republic.
Political party:
Timeline
1919–1940
1990–present
Statistics
See also
*
President of Latvia
The president of Latvia ( ) is head of state and commander-in-chief of the Latvian National Armed Forces, National Armed Forces of the Latvia, Republic of Latvia.
The term of this office is four years. Before 1999, it was three years. The presi ...
Notes
During the 1918–1920 Independence War, Latvia was contested by two other governments: the government of
Soviet Latvia, led by
Pēteris Stučka
Pēteris Stučka, sometimes spelt Pyotr Stuchka; ( – 25 January 1932), was a Latvian jurist and communist politician, leader of the pro-Bolshevik puppet government in Latvia during the 1918–1920 Latvian War of Independence, and later a stat ...
, and the government of
Andrievs Niedra
Andrievs Niedra ( old orthography: ''Andreews Needra''; 8 February 1871 – 25 September 1942) was a Latvian writer, Lutheran pastor and the Prime Minister of the German puppet government in Latvia between April and June 1919, during the Lat ...
, backed by
Baltic German
Baltic Germans ( or , later ) are Germans, ethnic German inhabitants of the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea, in what today are Estonia and Latvia. Since Flight and expulsion of Germans (1944–1950), their resettlement in 1945 after the end ...
s. 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
{{Prime Minister
Latvia, Prime Minister of
Lists of political office-holders in Latvia
1918 establishments in Latvia
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