Smiltēns may become speaker of Latvia’s 15th Saeima

Edvards Smiltēns, the current justice minister and a member of the United List, could become speaker of Latvia’s 15th Saeima, LSM reported, citing sources at Latvian Television. Smiltēns has previously served as parliament speaker.

Ināra Mūrniece of the National Alliance is being considered for one of the deputy speaker posts. Inese Lībiņa-Egnere of New Unity may also be proposed. New Unity is considering Ainars Latkovskis and Edmunds Jurēvics for the parliamentary board as well.

Antoņina Ņenaševa of the Progressives and Linda Liepiņa of Latvia First could be nominated for parliamentary secretary and deputy secretary.

The Saeima’s five-member board comprises the speaker, two deputies, a secretary and a deputy secretary. It organises parliament’s work.

The United List won 41 seats in the election, the largest number of seats won by a party or alliance in Latvian parliamentary history. Latvia First won 17 seats, Sovereign Power/Alliance of New Latvians 15, the National Alliance and the Progressives 10 each, and New Unity seven. The Union of Greens and Farmers, a partner in the outgoing coalition, failed to clear the five percent threshold and will not enter parliament for the first time in its 24-year history.

Turnout was 51.79 percent, with 806,641 people voting, the lowest participation rate in a parliamentary election. Options for the next government include two- or three-party coalitions. The United List is not considering forming a coalition with the Progressives or Latvia First.