Coalition's honeymoon ends after 100 days, tensions rise between PM and ministers

End of the honeymoon

The honeymoon phase within Latvia's ruling coalition has come to an end following the government's first hundred days in office. Latvian Television's programme "De facto" reports that in recent weeks, disagreements have increasingly surfaced between Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs of the "Apvienotais saraksts" (United List) party and ministers representing the coalition's other parties.

Sharper public tone

According to the programme, these disputes are frequently accompanied by fairly sharp public rhetoric. This suggests that cooperation within the coalition is no longer running as smoothly as it did during the government's first months, when partners generally sought to project unity and a shared direction.

Differing explanations

Political circles have not reached a common view on why tensions between the prime minister and ministers from other parties have been growing. "De facto" notes that various observers and political actors offer differing explanations for the situation, though no consensus has emerged on the true underlying cause.

The development suggests that after a relatively calm initial period, coalition partners will need to find new ways of managing their disagreements if they are to maintain effective cooperation in the months ahead.