Evika Siliņa
Evika Siliņa (born 3 August 1975) is a Latvian politician who has been the 24th Prime Minister of Latvia since September 2023.[1] She was Minister of Welfare and Member of the Saeima.
Evika Siliņa | |
---|---|
![]() Siliņa in September 2023 | |
24th Prime Minister of Latvia | |
Assumed office 15 September 2023 | |
President | Edgars Rinkēvičs |
Preceded by | Krišjānis Kariņš |
Minister of Welfare | |
In office 14 December 2022 – 15 September 2023 | |
Preceded by | Gatis Eglītis |
Succeeded by | Uldis Augulis |
Member of the Saeima | |
In office 1 November 2022 – 14 December 2022 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Riga, Latvia | 3 August 1975
Political party | Unity |
Spouse(s) | Aigars Siliņš |
Children | 3 |
Education | University of Latvia Riga Graduate School of Law |
Early life
changeSiliņa was born in Riga, Latvia on 3 August 1975.[2] She studied law at the University of Latvia and at the Riga Graduate School of Law.[3] From 2003 to 2012, Siliņa worked as a solo attorney focused on international and domestic business law.[4] She also provided legal services to telecommunications and internet companies and helped establish and advise non-governmental organizations during this time.[4]
Priemership
changeOn 16 August 2023, after the resignation of Krišjānis Kariņš, New Unity nominated Siliņa as candidate for prime minister.[5] On 24 August, she was asked by President Edgars Rinkēvičs to form a government.[6]
On 29 August, United List said they did not want to be a part of a four-party coalition government after an offer by Siliņa.[7] On 1 September, Siliņa said that she wanted to create a new parliamentary majority with the Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) and The Progressives (P).[8] Twelve days later she created a new government, in which New Unity (JV) had seven ministries, ZZS four and P three, with Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš hired as Minister of Foreign Affairs.[9]
The government coalition led by Siliņa won the confidence of the parliamentary majority in the Saeima on 15 September 2023, winning 53 votes.[10]
Siliņa said that she supports the Russian-speaking minority in the country and creating an education system based on the Latvian language.[2] She also wanted to increase the military budget and complete the construction of the barrier on the country's border with Russia and Belarus.[2] Siliņa is the second woman to become prime minister of Latvia.[11]
Personal life
changeSiliņa is married to Aigars Siliņš.[2] They couple have three children.[2]
References
change- ↑ "Saeima ar 53 balsīm apstiprina Evikas Siliņas valdību". www.lsm.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 18 September 2023.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Evika Silina führt Lettlands neue Regierungskoalition". Die Presse (in German). 15 September 2023. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
- ↑ "Evika Siliņa". 26 May 2019. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Parlamentārā sekretāre – Iekšlietu ministrija". 3 September 2018. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
- ↑ "«Jaunā Vienotība» oficiāli virza premjera amatam labklājības ministri Eviku Siliņu". www.lsm.lv (in Latvian). Archived from the original on 17 August 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
- ↑ Presse, AFP-Agence France. "Latvian Minister Asked To Take PM Role". www.barrons.com. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
- ↑ "United List declines Siliņa's four-party coalition offer". www.lsm.lv. 29 August 2023. Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
- ↑ "No more tangos: Siliņa to offer another three-party coalition with reduced Saeima majority". www.lsm.lv. 1 September 2023. Archived from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
- ↑ "Precise shape of proposed new Latvian government revealed". www.lsm.lv. 13 September 2023. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
- ↑ Eglitis, Aaron. "Latvia Gets New Prime Minister Evika Silina With Parliament Majority". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ↑ "Evika Siliņa is Latvia's new prime minister". POLITICO. 15 September 2023. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.