President might nominate Karins for PM next week

RIGA - President Egils Levits next week might nominate incumbent Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins (New Unity) to form his next cabinet.

Although Karins is already leading current coalition formation talks, he has not been formally nominated for the post of prime minister. 

As Levits said after a meeting with Karins on Monday, both politicians have agreed that at the beginning of next week Karins will submit the first draft of the government declaration, and "if it is consistent with the tasks that have to be completed for Latvia to move ahead", the president will formally nominate Karins for the post of prime minister. 

Levits did not yet name the exact date for Karins' nomination, but he voiced hope that it will happen at the beginning of next week. 

The president concluded after the conversation with Karins that the future coalition partners have achieved significant progress in their talks on Latvia's next government and the distribution of areas of responsibility. 

Starting next Tuesday, workgroups will start drafting the government declaration, Levits said.

As proposed by Karins, in Latvia's next government New Unity would hold the positions of prime minister, finance minister, foreign minister, education and science minister, justice minister, climate and energy minister and welfare minister.

The United List are offered the positions of interior minister, agricultural minister, health minister and regional development and digitalization affairs minister. The National Alliance are offered the positions of defense minister, culture minister, transport minister and economics minister.