Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina on Thursday, 14 May announced her resignation from office, describing the move as “the right decision in this situation” amid a government crisis triggered by the withdrawal of coalition support. The Latvian government will continue in a caretaker capacity until new cabinet ministers are formally approved.

What Triggered the Resignation

The immediate catalyst was the decision by coalition partner Progressives to withdraw support from the government on Wednesday, 13 May, effectively collapsing the ruling coalition. Andris Suvajevs, leader of the Progressives parliamentary faction, had warned that the government would fall if a vote of no confidence against Silina proceeded in the Saeima (Latvian parliament) on Thursday. Notably, as recently as Wednesday, Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis of the New Unity party had stated that Silina did not plan to resign.

Silina’s Own Words

In a pointed statement, Silina squarely blamed political manoeuvring within the coalition. “At this moment, political jealousy and narrow party interests have taken precedence over responsibility. Seeing a strong candidate for the post of defence minister — Colonel Raivis Melnis, whom I nominated to replace the resigned Progressives’ minister Andris Spruds — political windbags have chosen a crisis – a government crisis. That is why I am announcing my resignation. This is not an easy decision, but it is the right decision in this situation,” she said.

The Defence Minister Row That Started It All

The chain of events began the previous week when Defence Minister Andris Spruds resigned after Ukrainian drones, entering Latvian airspace from Russia, struck an oil storage facility on Latvian territory. On 10 May, Silina publicly demanded Spruds’ resignation, posting on X that he had “lost my trust and that of the public.”

In her X post, Silina wrote: “The drone incident that occurred this week clearly demonstrated that the political leadership of the defense sector has failed to fulfill its promise of safe skies over our country. The public has entrusted the sector with the historically largest funding — nearly 5 per cent of GDP. That is an enormous responsibility that demands clear results.”

She had nominated Colonel Raivis Melnis — a military professional with education in London and active experience in Ukraine — to head the defence ministry. The Progressives’ refusal to back Melnis’s appointment set off the final rupture.

What Happens Next

Latvia’s President has formally received Silina’s resignation. Consultations with representatives of the Saeima factions are scheduled to take place at Riga Castle on Friday, 15 May, to determine the path toward forming a new government. The caretaker government will remain in place until a successor administration is confirmed.