Guntars Krasts
Encyclopedia
Guntars Krasts is a Latvia
n politician, former Prime Minister, and former Member of the European Parliament
for the single Latvia constituency
. Born in Riga
, he was the Minister of Economy of Latvia from December 1995 to August 1997, Prime Minister of Latvia
from August 1997 to November 1998, and the Deputy Prime Minister from November 1998 to June 1999. Krasts was a member of Saeima
, the Latvian parliament, from June 1999 until being elected to the European Parliament in 2004.
as MEP for the single Latvia constituency
as a member of For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK. He sits with the Union for a Europe of Nations group (UEN). He left For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK in February 2008 but joined no other party. As of 31 March 2009, his European Parliament profile shows no national party membership.
On 28 March 2008, Libertas Latvia
gave a press conference in which Krasts was named as the head of the Libertas Latvia list. The list would total eight candidates to contend the nine seats assigned to the single Latvia constituency
.
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, and former Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
for the single Latvia constituency
Latvia (European Parliament constituency)
In European elections, Latvia is a constituency of the European Parliament, currently represented by nine MEPs. It covers the member state of Latvia. The electoral system used is party-list proportional representation.-Current MEPs:As of October 2007...
. Born in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, he was the Minister of Economy of Latvia from December 1995 to August 1997, 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...
from August 1997 to November 1998, and the Deputy Prime Minister from November 1998 to June 1999. Krasts was a member of 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, from June 1999 until being elected to the European Parliament in 2004.
Gunters Krasts in the European institutions
Guntars Krasts was elected in the 2004 EuroelectionsEuropean Parliament election, 2004 (Latvia)
The European Parliament election of 2004 in Latvia was the election of MEP representing Latvia constituency for the 2004-2009 term of the European Parliament. It was part of the wider 2004 European election. The vote took place on June 12....
as MEP for the single Latvia constituency
Latvia (European Parliament constituency)
In European elections, Latvia is a constituency of the European Parliament, currently represented by nine MEPs. It covers the member state of Latvia. The electoral system used is party-list proportional representation.-Current MEPs:As of October 2007...
as a member of For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK. He sits with the Union for a Europe of Nations group (UEN). He left For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK in February 2008 but joined no other party. As of 31 March 2009, his European Parliament profile shows no national party membership.
On 28 March 2008, Libertas Latvia
Libertas Latvia
Responsibility – Social Democratic Alliance of Political Parties is a political coalition in Latvia, until 2010 called Libertas.lv, which was the local branch of Declan Ganley's Libertas Party. Unlike Libertas in other countries, Libertas Latvia was not a political party in its own right...
gave a press conference in which Krasts was named as the head of the Libertas Latvia list. The list would total eight candidates to contend the nine seats assigned to the single Latvia constituency
Latvia (European Parliament constituency)
In European elections, Latvia is a constituency of the European Parliament, currently represented by nine MEPs. It covers the member state of Latvia. The electoral system used is party-list proportional representation.-Current MEPs:As of October 2007...
.