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Edgards Rinkevics was sworn in this Saturday before the local Parliament. He is the seventh president that the Baltic nation holds after its independence from the extinct Soviet Union. In his inaugural speech, Rinkevics stated his unrestricted support for Ukraine and NATO, an organization of which Latvia is a member.
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Edgards Rinkevics, of the liberal-conservative party ‘Unity’ and who served as head of Latvian diplomacy, was sworn in as president of the Baltic nation this Saturday for a period of four years. Rinkevics succeeded Egils Levits, who decided not to seek a second term.
The new head of state was sworn in in front of the Saeima (unicameral Parliament). However, his election took place last May. They were backed by the ‘New Unity’ party, the political wing of Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins.
Rinkevics is one of the most popular politicians in the country. His performance at the head of the Foreign Ministry earned him the sympathy of his compatriots. He was the face of local diplomacy for more than 10 years and, for now, he will continue to be until a new chancellor is appointed.
With his arrival there will not be many changes in the functioning of the Government and its foreign policy. Known for his strong inclination towards the West and broad support for NATO, the new president stated in his inauguration speech that his country “will represent a strong and effective Atlantic Alliance”. In this sense, Edgards Rinkevics is also known for his position of unrestricted support for Ukraine.
“Russia’s war and genocide in Ukraine have created a harsh new reality,” he said. “We will continue to support the heroic Ukrainian people in their struggle for freedom until the final victory of Ukraine. We will continue to fight against Russian imperialism and its perverse world ideology.”
Since Latvia’s independence from the former Soviet Union, Rinkevics is the seventh person to take charge of that territory inhabited by some 1.8 million people. He also becomes one of the few presidents who are members of the LGTBIQ + community. In 2014 he announced that he was “proudly” gay on his Twitter profile.
Despite being a mainly ceremonial post, the President of Latvia is regarded as the head of state and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces.
He is also an important opinion leader who is in charge of uniting the nation’s political and social forces. Among other prerogatives, he can dissolve Parliament, appoint the prime minister and sign bills.
with PA
