Andris Kulbergs
Prime Minister of Latvia since 2026
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Andris Kulbergs[needs Latvian IPA] (born 26 May 1979) is a Latvian buisnessman and politician serving as the prime minister of Latvia since 2026. Before being elected to Saeima as a non-party member of the United List ticket in 2022,[1][2] he worked in a number of roles in the private sector.[3] He also serves as the president of the Latvian Authorised Automobile Dealers Association.[4] Following the resignation of Prime Minister Evika Siliņa on 14 May 2026,[5] he was tasked by Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs to form a governing coalition for the five months before the 2026 Latvian parliamentary election[1]. He was able to successfully form a coalition of the United List, New Unity, National Alliance, and Union of Greens and Farmers parties, and was confirmed as prime minister on 28 May 2026 with 66 votes in parliament.[6]
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Andris Kulbergs | |
|---|---|
Kulbergs in 2023 | |
| 25th Prime Minister of Latvia | |
| Assumed office 28 May 2026 | |
| President | Edgars Rinkēvičs |
| Preceded by | Evika Siliņa |
| Member of the Saeima | |
| In office 1 November 2022 – 28 May 2026 | |
| Constituency | Riga |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 May 1979 |
| Party | United List |
Early life and business career
Kulbergs was born on 26 May 1979. He studied at Rīgas 50. vidusskola and Rīgas Komercskola and earned a bachelors degree in international business from Concordia International University Estonia in 2022.[7]
Kulbergs has served in a number of private sector roles such as the marketing programme director for the telecommunications company Lattelecom, the managing director for Auto Torino, the regional director for Auto Group Baltic, managing director for Baltic Motors Ltd., head of the Inchcape group of companies in Latvia, and Chairman of the Board of VK Development.[3] Since 2006, he has served in various capacities in the leadership of the Latvian Authorised Automobile Dealers Association, and is currently its president.[4]
Parliamentary career
In 2022, Kulbegs was elected as a member of the 14th Saeima as a member of the United List.[2] In Saeima, he was chairman of the Innovation Ecosystem Development Subcommittee and served on the Committee on National Economy, Agrarian, Environmental and Regional Policy and the Committee on Public Expenditure and Audit.[8] He ran for European Parliament on the United List ticket in 2024, but was not elected.[9]
During his time in parliament, Kulbergs has criticized the implementation of the Rail Baltica infrastructure project, such as the postponed "Riga Loop" portion of the track,[10] predicting that the project might become the "problem of the century".[11] As a member of opposition, he expressed criticism of the Latvian government's emergency loan for flag carrier AirBaltic during the 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis, favoring a complete restructuring of the company.[12]
Prime Minister
Two days after the resignation of former Prime Minister Evika Siliņa on 14 May 2026,[5] Kulbergs was nominated as candidate for Prime Minister of Latvia by President Edgars Rinkēvičs for the remaining five months until the 2026 Latvian parliamentary election[1]. On the 20th of May, representatives from Kulbergs's United List as well as the New Unity, National Alliance, and Union of Greens and Farmers parties announced a four-party coalition had been agreed to in principle.[13] The new government kept in place a number of ministers from the previous Siliņa cabinet.[14] The new government was confirmed on 28 May 2026 with 66 votes in parliament.[6]
