Vejonis wins Latvian presidental election

Defence Minister Raimonds Vejonis of the Union of Greens and Farmers party has been elected the new Latvian President. 

In the fifth vote in the Latvian Saeima, Vejoinis obtained more than the 55 votes he needed from fellow members of parliament. 

Meanwhile, 44 MPs voted against Vejonis, one did not participate in the vote and voting ticket was deemed invalid. 

Vejonis will become the fifth president of Latvia since it regained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, and is the ninth in the country’s entire history. 

According to latvianhistory.com, Vejoins’ first words on winning the election were “okay, I must take a drink first.” 

Current President, Andris Berzins’ third term in office will end on July 7 2015. The following day, Vejonis will assume the role of president.