Parliament of Latvia to elect president today

On Wednesday, the Saeima (Parliament) of Latvia will choose a new president of the country among Uldis Pīlēns (United List), Elina Pinto (Progressives) and Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs, Report informs via Interfax.

In order to be elected President of Latvia, a candidate needs to get at least 51 votes in the Saeima.

The current president of Latvia, Egil Levits, has decided not to run for a second term. He urged Pīlēns to withdraw from the election. According to the president, this will allow the current coalition to agree on a single candidate for the presidency in the interests of the state.

Levits believes that with the current political composition of the Saeima, the only possible coalition that can more or less guarantee both the national and Western orientation of Latvia is the current coalition, consisting of the New Unity, the National Association and the United List.