Aigars Kalvitis
Encyclopedia
Aigars Kalvītis is a Latvia
n politician, former Prime Minister of Latvia
and current Chairman of the Board
of Latvijas Balzams
.
Kalvītis graduated from Latvia University of Agriculture
in 1992 with a degree in economics. From 1992 to 1998, he was a manager at various agriculture-related businesses. Kalvītis was one of the founders of People's Party
of Latvia in 1997 and was first elected to Saeima
, the Latvian parliament, in 1998. He served as the minister of agriculture from 1999 to 2000 and the minister of economics from 2000 to 2002. Kalvītis was reelected to Saeima and became the leader of the parliamentary faction of People's Party in 2002.
On 2 December 2004, he became the Prime Minister of Latvia. Kalvītis at first led a coalition government consisting of his own People's Party, the New Era Party
, the Union of Greens and Farmers
and the Latvia's First Party. In April 2006, the New Era Party left the government and Kalvītis led a minority coalition government consisting of the other three parties.
His governing coalition retained power in the 7 October 2006 parliamentary election
, winning a slight majority of seats and becoming the first government since Latvian independence in 1991 to be re-elected. It now consists of the People's Party, Union of Greens and Farmers, the Latvia First/Latvian Way Party, and For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK. For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK was added after the 2006 elections, and strengthens the coalition's majority to 59 of the 100 seats. Meanwhile, the People’s Party became the largest party in Parliament. Kalvītis became its chairman.
On 7 November 2007, Kalvītis announced that he would step down on 5 December, after encountering widespread opposition to his dismissal of the head of the anti-corruption bureau, Aleksejs Loskutovs, in the previous month. He accordingly met with President Valdis Zatlers
on 5 December and announced his resignation, along with that of his government. According to Kalvītis, speaking on television on the same day, this was necessary to "cool down hot heads". Kalvītis remained in office in a caretaker capacity until the appointment of his successor Ivars Godmanis
.
His son, Kārlis Kalvītis, is a professional ice hockey
player.
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n politician, former Prime Minister of Latvia
Prime Minister of Latvia
The Prime Minister of Latvia is the most powerful member of the Government of the Republic of Latvia, and presides over the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers...
and current Chairman of the Board
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
of Latvijas Balzams
Latvijas Balzams
Latvijas Balzams is a Latvian producer of alcoholic beverages. , it was the largest producer of alcoholic beverages in the Baltic states, and had about 50% market share in Latvia. It is the successor to the Latvian state alcohol producer, tracing its origins to the early 20th century and its name...
.
Kalvītis graduated from Latvia University of Agriculture
Latvia University of Agriculture
The Latvia University of Agriculture is a university in Jelgava, Latvia, specializing in agricultural science, forestry, and related areas.The university originated as the Agricultural Department at the Riga Polytechnical Institute in 1863, which in 1919 became the Faculty of Agriculture at the...
in 1992 with a degree in economics. From 1992 to 1998, he was a manager at various agriculture-related businesses. Kalvītis was one of the founders of People's Party
People's Party (Latvia)
The People's Party was a centre-right political party in Latvia. It described itself as a conservative party.Tautas partija was founded in 1998 by Andris Šķēle, a businessman and former prime minister, who was the chairman of the party until 2002. Because of Šķēle's powerful personality, many...
of Latvia in 1997 and was first elected to Saeima
Saeima
Saeima is the parliament of the Republic of Latvia. It is a unicameral parliament consisting of 100 members who are elected by proportional representation, with seats allocated to political parties which gain at least 5% of the popular vote. Elections are scheduled to be held once every four years,...
, the Latvian parliament, in 1998. He served as the minister of agriculture from 1999 to 2000 and the minister of economics from 2000 to 2002. Kalvītis was reelected to Saeima and became the leader of the parliamentary faction of People's Party in 2002.
On 2 December 2004, he became the Prime Minister of Latvia. Kalvītis at first led a coalition government consisting of his own People's Party, the New Era Party
New Era Party
The New Era Party , abbreviated to JL, was a centre-right political party in Latvia. Founded in 2002, the party merged with Civic Union and Society for Other Politics to form Unity in 2011....
, the Union of Greens and Farmers
Union of Greens and Farmers
Union of Greens and Farmers is a green/agrarian and conservative political alliance in Latvia. It consists of two political parties: Latvian Farmers' Union and the Green Party of Latvia . It is the third-largest party in the Saeima....
and the Latvia's First Party. In April 2006, the New Era Party left the government and Kalvītis led a minority coalition government consisting of the other three parties.
His governing coalition retained power in the 7 October 2006 parliamentary election
Latvian parliamentary election, 2006
The most recent elections for the 9th Saeima, the parliament of Latvia, were held on October 7, 2006. There were lists of candidates from 19 political parties...
, winning a slight majority of seats and becoming the first government since Latvian independence in 1991 to be re-elected. It now consists of the People's Party, Union of Greens and Farmers, the Latvia First/Latvian Way Party, and For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK. For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK was added after the 2006 elections, and strengthens the coalition's majority to 59 of the 100 seats. Meanwhile, the People’s Party became the largest party in Parliament. Kalvītis became its chairman.
On 7 November 2007, Kalvītis announced that he would step down on 5 December, after encountering widespread opposition to his dismissal of the head of the anti-corruption bureau, Aleksejs Loskutovs, in the previous month. He accordingly met with President Valdis Zatlers
Valdis Zatlers
Valdis Zatlers is a Latvian politician and former physician who served as the seventh president of Latvia from 2007 to 2011. He won the Latvian presidential election of 31 May 2007...
on 5 December and announced his resignation, along with that of his government. According to Kalvītis, speaking on television on the same day, this was necessary to "cool down hot heads". Kalvītis remained in office in a caretaker capacity until the appointment of his successor Ivars Godmanis
Ivars Godmanis
Ivars Godmanis is a Latvian politician and currently 1 of the 8 Latvian MEPs in the European parliament. He was the first Prime Minister of Latvia after the country became independent from the Soviet Union, and he became a Prime Minister for the second time in December 2007.Godmanis served as...
.
His son, Kārlis Kalvītis, is a professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player.