Edgars Rinkēvičs
President of Latvia (since 2023) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Edgars Rinkēvičs (born 21 September 1973) is a Latvian public official and politician serving as the 11th and current president of Latvia since July 2023. He previously served as the minister of foreign affairs of Latvia from 2011 to 2023, and head of the Chancery of the President of Latvia as state secretary of the Ministry of Defence, as well as a deputy of the Saeima.
Quick Facts 11th President of Latvia, Prime Minister ...
Edgars Rinkēvičs | |
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11th President of Latvia | |
Assumed office 8 July 2023 | |
Prime Minister | Krišjānis Kariņš Evika Siliņa |
Preceded by | Egils Levits |
Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
In office 25 October 2011 – 8 July 2023 | |
Prime Minister | Valdis Dombrovskis Laimdota Straujuma Māris Kučinskis Krišjānis Kariņš |
Preceded by | Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis |
Succeeded by | Krišjānis Kariņš |
President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe | |
In office 17 May 2023 – 8 July 2023 | |
Preceded by | Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir |
Succeeded by | Krišjānis Kariņš |
Personal details | |
Born | (1973-09-21) 21 September 1973 (age 50) Jūrmala, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union (now Jūrmala, Latvia) |
Political party | Latvian Way (1998–2004) Reform Party (2012–2014) Unity (2014–2023) |
Alma mater | University of Latvia Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy |
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Upon taking office as president, Rinkēvičs became the first openly gay head of state in a European Union country.[1] Prior to becoming president, Rinkēvičs had represented Latvian Way, Reform Party, and the Unity party since May 2014. He left Unity after being elected president as it is customarily expected in Latvia for presidents to maintain political neutrality.