The Latvian ruling coalition parties said they would consider joining with other parties to agree on a joint candidate for the post of president. All parties have expressed a desire to find a common candidate, yet some have urged Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis to take the lead on the issue.
"Of course we are ready for such negotiations. All that is needed for that is good will," said Greens and Farmers Union (ZZS) faction head Augusts Brigmanis.
People's Party lawmaker Janis Lagzdins said that the negotiations are not in conflict with the ongoing candidate nominating process, and would be advisable for the coalition to agree on one candidate.
"Considering the politically red-hot situation, I am sure that it would be in the interests of the coalition and the parliament to agree on a common candidate," said Lagzdins.
Latvia's Way and Latvia's First Party (LC/LPP) election bloc leader Andris Berzins said that his party could agree to the negotiations on the issue, but they must be initiated by Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis.
"This should be done by the prime minister as the coalition leader. We will participate in the negotiations and offer our candidate. I do not know if it will be possible to agree on one person, but it might reduce the candidates' list to two or three," said Berzins.
Brigmanis underscored that the negotiations may result in an agreement only if the parties are ready to give up the candidates already nominated. "It is evident that we will not be able to vote on the already mentioned candidates. The advancement of the negotiations will depend on when the parties will be ready to give up their candidates," said Brigmanis.
The leader of TB/LNNK Maris Grinblats agreed. "Strict adherence by parties to their candidates would undoubtedly interfere with the negotiations. A neutral candidate would be a uniting factor," he said.
Meanwhile, the business community said that personalities were more important that politics when considering the future president.
Parex Bank president Valerijs Kargins voiced his opinion, say that political allegiances were not important. "In my opinion, it has no significant meaning. The attention should be paid to personal qualities. Any person in the position of a president will be a compromise. As soon as there are named particular candidates, I will voice my opinion, but I will mot try to lobby it," Kargins told the business daily Lietiska Diena
The bank's president also said that the candidates who have been named so far might be just a decoration.
"It might be so. Nevertheless, among the presently known candidates there are some I prefer. I know Ivars Godmanis for a while, a sharp and strong politician. I like Maris Riekstins, Karina Petersone -- they speak English, French and Russian. Aigars Stokenbergs is less a politician and more an economist with a business understanding. Everything will depend on the political conjuncture at the time of election," said Kargins.
