Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš announced his resignation Monday, days after his government coalition fell apart.
Kariņš told his center-right New Unity party that he plans to submit a letter of resignation to Latvia’s President Edgars Rinkēvičs on Thursday and he invited the party to nominate a new candidate for prime minister.
On Friday, Kariņš announced he was going to dissolve New Unity’s coalition with the National Alliance and the United List parties after they rejected his plans for a ministerial reshuffle, according to local media. When announcing his resignation, Kariņš accused the coalition partners of “blocking work for welfare and economic growth.”
On Friday, Kariņš said he was already in negotiations with other parties, including the Progressive Party and the Union of Greens and Farmers, about a new coalition. He initially said he would remain in charge of the new government, saying he would devote all of his “time and energy to looking for opportunities to form a different, alternative government.”
Rinkēvičs on Monday thanked Kariņš for his work.
“Consultations will soon be organized with the political forces represented in the Saeima [parliament] about the most important tasks for the country, the candidate for the position of prime minister and the government model,” he said.