United List to finish draft government declaration over the weekend
Latvia's United List plans to complete the draft declaration of the future government this weekend and pass it to potential coalition partners. Its Saeima faction leader says a deal with the National Alliance on some issues is close.
Work on forming Latvia's new government continues: the party United List (AS) plans to finish the draft declaration of the incoming government over the weekend, discuss it in its Saeima faction and hand it to potential coalition partners for review. This was announced on 14 November by AS co-chair Edgars Tavars. The cabinet line-up and coalition model have not yet been confirmed, so the coming days may clarify how the next government will be built.
Declaration and ministerial candidates
Tavars said the document is currently being refined. Partners will be able to add to it and submit their own proposals. He could not say whether concrete decisions would follow the discussions, but hoped for greater clarity. Decisions on ministerial candidates have also not been made, and no names are being disclosed.
Meeting with the president
Māris Kučinskis, head of the AS faction in the Saeima, said after meeting President Edgars Rinkēvičs that AS is close to agreeing with the National Alliance (NA) on certain issues. The talks with the president covered cooperation between parties in the Saeima, upcoming bills and the organisation of parliamentary work. The parties still need to agree, for example, on how to proceed with the Ports Law and on which submitted bills will be carried forward. According to Kučinskis, the president gave no advice on ministerial candidates but stressed the need for a stable foundation for the government and its reforms.
Positions of the opposition and other parties
Andris Šuvajevs, head of the opposition Progressives faction, told the agency LETA that AS prime minister candidate Andris Kulbergs has, in his view, already chosen a coalition with NA, counting on the support of the party Latvia First (LPV). Šuvajevs said there had been no communication with Kulbergs since a meeting with AS earlier this week.
Latvian Television has reported that the most active talks are between AS and NA, while New Unity and the Progressives have not been invited to the next round. An AS–NA coalition would have 51 votes in the Saeima. LPV leader Ainārs Šlesers has pledged support, but said that the participation of certain ministers could complicate it.
