Post by therealriga on May 31, 2023 20:34:46 GMT
The president is elected by the 100-member parliament. A candidate needs 51 votes for election. If no candidate gets that in the first round, new candidates can present themselves in the 2nd round. In subsequent rounds, the lowest placed candidate is eliminated. If one candidate is left and he or she hasn't got the necessary 51 votes, nominations are reopened. Incumbent president, Egils Levits, was an independent backed by the Latvian right-wing National Alliance, but he declined to run for a second term as it was thought he lacked the support. The largest party, New Unity, who'd backed him last time, were putting forward their own candidate this time following a rise in support at the last parliamentary election.
There were 3 candidates:
Edgars Rinkēvičs of New Unity. He's been the foreign minister for an unusually long period of time: since 2011. He is also the first politician in a former Soviet republic to come out as gay.
Uldis Pīlēns, businessman, leader and founder of the United List, who broke into parliament last year as 3rd biggest party. Unusually, though he was their prime ministerial candidate, he wasn't a parliamentary candidate.
Elīna Pinto of Progressives. Activist on Latvian diaspora issues.
Rather than voting for a single candidate, deputies had the option to vote for or against as many candidates as they wished:
titania.saeima.lv/LIVS14/saeimalivs_lmp.nsf/0/A6FD83B30943D24FC22589C0002CBC17?OpenDocument
1st round
Rinkēvičs 42 (supported by New Unity, Greens and Farmers)
Pīlēns 25 (United List, Latvia First and 1 independent.)
Pinto 10 (Progressives)
The 13 deputies of the National Alliance and the 9 of the Russian Stability group either abstained or voted against.
The second round went the same way, so Pinto was eliminated and the Progressives voted for Rinkēvičs, putting him over the line on 52 votes. I believe he's only the 2nd openly gay head of state (following one of last year's Captain Regents of San Marino.)
The vote has already caused divisions in the coalition with United List mulling quitting. As Progressives and Greens&Farmers would likely replace them, that would very likely mean National Alliance quitting as well.
There were 3 candidates:
Edgars Rinkēvičs of New Unity. He's been the foreign minister for an unusually long period of time: since 2011. He is also the first politician in a former Soviet republic to come out as gay.
Uldis Pīlēns, businessman, leader and founder of the United List, who broke into parliament last year as 3rd biggest party. Unusually, though he was their prime ministerial candidate, he wasn't a parliamentary candidate.
Elīna Pinto of Progressives. Activist on Latvian diaspora issues.
Rather than voting for a single candidate, deputies had the option to vote for or against as many candidates as they wished:
titania.saeima.lv/LIVS14/saeimalivs_lmp.nsf/0/A6FD83B30943D24FC22589C0002CBC17?OpenDocument
1st round
Rinkēvičs 42 (supported by New Unity, Greens and Farmers)
Pīlēns 25 (United List, Latvia First and 1 independent.)
Pinto 10 (Progressives)
The 13 deputies of the National Alliance and the 9 of the Russian Stability group either abstained or voted against.
The second round went the same way, so Pinto was eliminated and the Progressives voted for Rinkēvičs, putting him over the line on 52 votes. I believe he's only the 2nd openly gay head of state (following one of last year's Captain Regents of San Marino.)
The vote has already caused divisions in the coalition with United List mulling quitting. As Progressives and Greens&Farmers would likely replace them, that would very likely mean National Alliance quitting as well.