Wikipedia

Prime Minister of Latvia

The prime minister of Latvia (Latvian: ministru prezidents) is the most powerful member of the Government of Latvia, who presides over the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers. The officeholder is nominated by the president of Latvia, but must be able to obtain the support of a parliamentary majority in the Saeima.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Latvia
Latvijas Republikas Ministru prezidents
Flag of the prime minister of Latvia
since 28 May 2026
Government of Latvia
TypeHead of government
Member of
AppointerPresident
Term lengthNo term limit
Inaugural holderKārlis Ulmanis
Formation19 November 1918; 107 years ago (1918-11-19)
Abolished1940–1991
Salary€53,601 annually[1]

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 of Prime Ministers

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Republic of Latvia: 1918–1940

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Political party:
  Independent
  Latvian Farmers' Union (LZS)
  Union of Social Democrats – Mensheviks and Rural Workers (MP)
  Democratic Centre (DC)
  Progressive Association of New Farmers (PA)
  New Farmers-Small Landowners Party (LJSP)

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)		 Term of office Political party Cabinet Saeima
Took office Left office Tenure
1[1] Kārlis Ulmanis
(1877–1942)		 18 November 1918 13 July 1919 2 years, 213 days Latvian Farmers' Union Provisional I
LZS–LNP–DC–DS		 People's
Council
14 July 1919 8 December 1919 Provisional II
LZS–LŽNP
DC joined later
9 December 1919 11 June 1920 Provisional III
LZS–LŽNP
DS joined later
12 June 1920 18 June 1921 Ulmanis I
LZS–DS–LDP
DS exited later		 Const.
Assembly (1920)
2 Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics
(1887–1925)		 19 June 1921 19 July 1922 1 year, 222 days Meierovics I
LZS–DC–MP–LTP
LTP exited later
20 July 1922 26 January 1923 Meierovics II
LZS–MP–LDP
3 Jānis Pauļuks
(1865–1937)		 27 January 1923 27 June 1923 152 days Independent Pauļuks
LZS–LSPDS–DC–LJS–MP		 1st (1922)
(2) Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics
(1887–1925)		 28 June 1923 26 January 1924 213 days Latvian Farmers' Union Meierovics III
LZS–LSPDS–DC–LJS–MP
4 Voldemārs Zāmuēls
(1872–1948)		 27 January 1924 18 December 1924 327 days Independent Zāmuēls
BNC–DC–LJS
5 Hugo Celmiņš
(1877–1941)		 19 December 1924 23 December 1925 1 year, 5 days Latvian Farmers' Union Celmiņš I
LZS–DC
MP and LJS joined later
(1) Kārlis Ulmanis
(1877–1942)		 24 December 1925 6 May 1926 134 days Ulmanis II
LZS–LJSP–LJS–LZP
NA joined later		 2nd (1925)
6 Arturs Alberings
(1877–1934)		 7 May 1926 18 December 1926 226 days Alberings
LZS–DC–LJSP–LJS–LZP
7 Marģers Skujenieks
(1886–1941)		 19 December 1926 23 January 1928 1 year, 36 days Menshevik Skujenieks I
LSDSP–MP–LPP–DC–LJS
DC exited cabinet
8 Pēteris Juraševskis
(1872–1945)		 24 January 1928 30 November 1928 312 days Democratic Centre Juraševskis
LZS–DC–LZP–VRP/DbRP
(5) Hugo Celmiņš
(1877–1941)		 1 December 1928 26 March 1931 2 years, 116 days Latvian Farmers' Union Celmiņš II
LZS–DC–LJSP–LDZA–LA–KNP–VRP/DbRP
DC, KNP, VRP / DbRP exited cabinet		 3rd (1928)
(1) Kārlis Ulmanis
(1877–1942)		 27 March 1931 5 December 1931 254 days Ulmanis III
LZS–LJSP–LDZA–NA–MKRA–LKZP–LPP
(7) Marģers Skujenieks
(1886–1941)		 6 December 1931 23 March 1933 1 year, 108 days Progressive Association of New Farmers Skujenieks II
PA–DC–LZS–LZPA
LJSP joined later		 4th (1931)
9 Ādolfs Bļodnieks
(1889–1962)		 24 March 1933 16 March 1934 358 days Party of New Farmers and Smallholders Bļodnieks
LJSP–LZS–DC–LZPA–PA–LKKP–KDP
DC, PA exited cabinet
(1)[2] Kārlis Ulmanis
(1877–1942)		 17 March 1934 15 May 1934 6 years, 95 days Latvian Farmers' Union Ulmanis IV
LZS–KA–LKKP–LPP–KDP
15 May 1934 19 June 1940 Independent Ulmanis V
Independent
—[3] Augusts Kirhenšteins
(1872–1963)		 20 June 1940 25 August 1940 66 days Independent
(Pro-LKP)		 Kirhenšteins
Independent–LKP

Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic: 1940-1990

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From 1940 to 1990, the Republic of Latvia was under occupation by the Soviet Union. In place of the internationally recognised republican institutions, the Soviet-installed Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic de-facto governed the country and implemented its own government structures.

Political party:
  Communist Party of Latvia (LPK)

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)		 Term of Office Political Party
Took office Left office Tenure
— Vilis Lācis[2]
(1904–1966)		 25 August 1940 27 November 1959 19 years, 94 days Communist Party of Latvia
— Jānis Peive
(1906–1976)		 27 November 1959 23 April 1962 2 years, 147 days Communist Party of Latvia
— Vitālijs Rubenis
(1914–1994)		 23 April 1962 5 May 1970 8 years, 12 days Communist Party of Latvia
— Jurijs Rubenis
(1925–2004)		 5 May 1970 6 October 1988 18 years, 154 days Communist Party of Latvia
— Vilnis Edvīns Bresis
(1938–2017)		 6 October 1988 7 May 1990 1 year, 213 days Communist Party of Latvia

Republic of Latvia: 1990–present

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From 4 May 1990 after adopting the Declaration of the Restoration of Independence of the Republic.

Political party:
  Independent
  Popular Front of Latvia (LTF)
  Latvian Way (LC)
  For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK (TB/LNNK)
  People's Party (TP)
  New Era Party (JL)
  Latvian Green Party (LZP)
  Latvia's First Party/Latvian Way (LPP/LC)
  Unity (V)
  Liepāja Party (LP)
  New Unity (JV)
  United List (AS)

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)		 Term of office Political party Cabinet Saeima
Took office Left office Tenure
10 Ivars Godmanis
(born 1951)		 7 May 1990 3 August 1993 3 years, 40 days Popular Front of Latvia Godmanis I
LTF
LC joined later		 SC (1990)
11 Valdis Birkavs
(born 1942)		 3 August 1993 15 September 1994 1 year, 43 days Latvian Way Birkavs
LC–LZS–LZP		 5th (1993)
12 Māris Gailis
(born 1951)		 15 September 1994 21 December 1995 1 year, 97 days Gailis
LC–TPA–LZS–LZP
TB joined later and exited cabinet
13 Andris Šķēle
(born 1958)		 21 December 1995 13 February 1997 1 year, 229 days Independent Šķēle I
DP'S'–TB–LC–LNNK–LZS–LZP–LVP		 6th (1995)
13 February 1997 7 August 1997 Šķēle II
DP'S'–TB–LC–LNNK–LZS–LZP
KDS joined later
14 Guntars Krasts
(born 1957)		 7 August 1997 26 November 1998 1 year, 111 days For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK Krasts
TB/LNNK–LC–LZS–LZP–DPS–KTP
DPS and KTP exited cabinet
15 Vilis Krištopans
(born 1954)		 26 November 1998 16 July 1999 232 days Latvian Way Krištopans
LC–TB/LNNK–JP
LSDSP joined later		 7th (1998)
(13) Andris Šķēle
(born 1958)		 16 July 1999 5 May 2000 294 days People's Party Šķēle III
TP–LC–TB/LNNK
16 Andris Bērziņš
(born 1951)		 5 May 2000 7 November 2002 2 years, 186 days Latvian Way Bērziņš
LC–TP–TB/LNNK–JP
17 Einars Repše
(born 1961)		 7 November 2002 9 March 2004 1 year, 123 days New Era Party Repše
JL–TB/LNNK–LZS–LPP–LZP
LPP exited cabinet		 8th (2002)
18 Indulis Emsis
(born 1952)		 9 March 2004 2 December 2004 268 days Latvian Green Party Emsis
TP – LPP – LZS – LZP
19 Aigars Kalvītis
(born 1966)		 2 December 2004 7 November 2006 3 years, 18 days People's Party Kalvītis I
TP–JL–LZS–LPP–LZP
JL exited cabinet
7 November 2006 20 December 2007 Kalvītis II
TP–LZS–LPP–TB/LNNK–LZP–LC		 9th (2006)
(10) Ivars Godmanis
(born 1951)		 20 December 2007 12 March 2009 1 year, 82 days Latvia's First Party/Latvian Way Godmanis II
LPP/LC–TP–LZS–TB/LNNK–LZP
20 Valdis Dombrovskis
(born 1971)		 12 March 2009 3 November 2010 4 years, 316 days New Era Party Dombrovskis I
JL–TP–TB/LNNK–LZS–LZP–PS
3 November 2010 25 October 2011 Dombrovskis II
JL–PS–SCP–LZS–LZP–LP
JL, PS, SCP, LP later replaced by V		 10th (2010)
25 October 2011 22 January 2014 Unity Dombrovskis III
V–ZRP–NA		 11th (2011)
21 Laimdota Straujuma
(born 1951)		 22 January 2014 5 November 2014 2 years, 20 days Straujuma I
V–RP–NA–LZS–LZP
5 November 2014 11 February 2016 Straujuma II
V–NA–LZS–LZP–LuV–LP		 12th (2014)
22 Māris Kučinskis
(born 1961)		 11 February 2016 23 January 2019 2 years, 346 days Liepāja Party Kučinskis
V–NA–LZS–LZP–LuV–LP
23 Krišjānis Kariņš
(born 1964)		 23 January 2019 14 December 2022 4 years, 235 days New Unity Kariņš I
JV–JKP–KPV LV–A/P!–NA
KPV LV exited cabinet		 13th (2018)
14 December 2022 15 September 2023 Kariņš II
JV–NA–AS		 14th (2022)
24 Evika Siliņa
(born 1975)		 15 September 2023 28 May 2026[3] 2 years, 255 days Siliņa
JV–ZZS–PRO
PRO exited cabinet
25 Andris Kulbergs
(born 1979)		 28 May 2026 Incumbent 8 days United List Kulbergs
AS–JV–NA–ZZS

Timeline

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Statistics

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# Prime Minister Date of birth Age at ascension
(first term)		 Time in office
(total)		 Age at retirement
(last term)		 Date of death Longevity
1 Kārlis Ulmanis September 4, 1877 41 years, 75 days 9 years, 334 days 62 years, 287 days September 20, 1942 65 years, 16 days
2 Zigfrīds Meierovics February 6, 1887 34 years, 133 days 2 years, 70 days 36 years, 354 days August 22, 1925 38 years, 197 days
3 Jānis Pauļuks November 12, 1865 57 years, 76 days 152 days 57 years, 228 days June 21, 1937 71 years, 221 days
4 Voldemārs Zāmuēls May 22, 1872 51 years, 250 days 327 days 52 years, 210 days September 25, 1944 75 years, 239 days
5 Hugo Celmiņš October 30, 1877 47 years, 50 days 3 years, 121 days 53 years, 147 days July 30, 1941 63 years, 273 days
6 Arturs Alberings January 8, 1876 50 years, 119 days 226 days 50 years, 345 days April 26, 1934 58 years, 108 days
7 Marģers Skujenieks June 22, 1886 40 years, 180 days 2 years, 145 days 46 years, 274 days July 12, 1941 55 years, 20 days
8 Pēteris Juraševskis March 23, 1872 55 years, 307 days 312 days 56 years, 252 days January 10, 1945 72 years, 293 days
9 Ādolfs Bļodnieks July 24, 1889 43 years, 243 days 358 days 44 years, 235 days March 21, 1962 72 years, 240 days
— Augusts Kirhenšteins [3] September 18, 1872 67 years, 276 days 66 days 67 years, 342 days November 11, 1963 91 years, 46 days
10 Ivars Godmanis November 27, 1951 38 years, 161 days 4 years, 124 days 57 years, 105 days Living 74 years, 190 days (living)
11 Valdis Birkavs July 28, 1942 51 years, 6 days 1 year, 43 days 52 years, 49 days Living 83 years, 312 days (living)
12 Māris Gailis July 9, 1951 43 years, 37 days 1 year, 97 days 44 years, 165 days Living 74 years, 331 days (living)
13 Andris Šķēle January 16, 1958 37 years, 339 days 2 years, 159 days 42 years, 110 days Living 68 years, 140 days (living)
14 Guntars Krasts October 16, 1957 39 years, 295 days 1 year, 111 days 41 years, 51 days Living 68 years, 232 days (living)
15 Vilis Krištopans June 13, 1954 44 years, 166 days 232 days 45 years, 33 days Living 71 years, 357 days (living)
16 Andris Bērziņš August 4, 1951 48 years, 275 days 2 years, 186 days 51 years, 95 days Living 74 years, 305 days (living)
17 Einars Repše December 9, 1961 40 years, 333 days 1 year, 123 days 42 years, 91 days Living 64 years, 178 days (living)
18 Indulis Emsis January 2, 1952 52 years, 67 days 268 days 52 years, 335 days Living 74 years, 154 days (living)
19 Aigars Kalvītis June 27, 1966 38 years, 158 days 3 years, 18 days 42 years, 91 days Living 59 years, 343 days (living)
20 Valdis Dombrovskis August 5, 1971 37 years, 219 days 4 years, 316 days 42 years, 170 days Living 54 years, 304 days (living)
21 Laimdota Straujuma February 24, 1951 62 years, 332 days 2 years, 20 days 64 years, 352 days Living 75 years, 101 days (living)
22 Māris Kučinskis November 28, 1961 54 years, 75 days 2 years, 345 days 57 years, 56 days Living 64 years, 189 days (living)
23 Krišjānis Kariņš December 13, 1964 54 years, 41 days 4 years, 235 days 58 years, 276 days Living 61 years, 174 days (living)
24 Evika Siliņa August 3, 1975 48 years, 43 days 2 years, 255 days 50 years, 298 days Living 50 years, 306 days (living)
25 Andris Kulbergs Incumbent Living 47 years, 10 days (living)

See also

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Notes

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1 During the 1918–1920 Independence War, Latvia was contested by two other governments: the government of Soviet Latvia, led by Pēteris Stučka, and the government of Andrievs Niedra, backed by Baltic Germans. Some sources may list Stučka and Niedra as prime ministers for periods when their governments controlled most of Latvia.

2 On 15 May 1934, prime minister Ulmanis dissolved parliament and banned all political parties (including his own Farmer's Union), establishing authoritarian rule.

3 Puppet leader appointed by Soviet authorities. Not recognized as such by the Latvian government.

References

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  1. ↑ "IG.com Pay Check". IG.
  2. ↑ In RSFSR exile 1941-1944
  3. ↑ "Evika Siliņa | LSM". www.mk.gov.lv. Retrieved 2026-05-14.
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