Latvian Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma announced her resignation on Monday after less than two years in office, saying there was a need for "new ideas" following a fallout within her centre-right party.
"It's become clear that new people with new ideas are needed... the situation in recent weeks with an intensive communication campaign against me could not continue," she told reporters after informing President Raimonds Vejonis of the government's resignation.
"I didn't want to carry on with this intrigue."
The 64-year-old had been prime minister since January 2014, when she took over from Valdis Dombrovskis who resigned after the deadly collapse of a supermarket roof for which he accepted political responsibility.
Her three-party coalition went on to score a resounding majority in an October 2014 parliamentary election that was dominated by concern in the formerly Soviet republic over Russia's growing military assertiveness in the region.
On Monday, she listed among her government's achievements a successful EU presidency in the first half of 2015 and strong economic growth.
But in recent months Straujuma had come in for growing criticism, including within her own Unity party.
Rumours of her impending resignation had been swirling for days with Latvians appearing increasingly dubious about her government's effectiveness.
In early December Straujuma pushed through a budget that includes controversial tax increases on high earners in 2016.
The Baltic state of two million people has also been divided over whether to admit refugees and on a controversial deal to finance the state-owned AirBaltic airline that forced transport minister Anrijs Matiss from office.
Speaking to reporters after Straujuma's resignation, President Vejonis said Latvians "need a government that works" to deal with "security threats in Europe, the refugee crisis and so on."
He said he would talk to all political parties before tapping a new candidate for prime minister.
Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis, who recently stood in for Straujuma while she attended a summit in China and whom she herself endorsed on Monday, is seen as a strong candidate.
"Personally Mr Kozlovskis would be my choice as next prime minister... that's based on how I have seen him do his work... I see him as a person who gets things done," Straujuma said.
Other names from within the ruling party being circulated include party leader Solvita Aboltina, who was seen as intent on undermining Straujuma in recent weeks, and Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics, though he is regarded as an outside bet.
Latvian Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma announced her resignation on Monday after less than two years in office, saying there was a need for “new ideas” following a fallout within her centre-right party.
“It’s become clear that new people with new ideas are needed… the situation in recent weeks with an intensive communication campaign against me could not continue,” she told reporters after informing President Raimonds Vejonis of the government’s resignation.
“I didn’t want to carry on with this intrigue.”
The 64-year-old had been prime minister since January 2014, when she took over from Valdis Dombrovskis who resigned after the deadly collapse of a supermarket roof for which he accepted political responsibility.
Her three-party coalition went on to score a resounding majority in an October 2014 parliamentary election that was dominated by concern in the formerly Soviet republic over Russia’s growing military assertiveness in the region.
On Monday, she listed among her government’s achievements a successful EU presidency in the first half of 2015 and strong economic growth.
But in recent months Straujuma had come in for growing criticism, including within her own Unity party.
Rumours of her impending resignation had been swirling for days with Latvians appearing increasingly dubious about her government’s effectiveness.
In early December Straujuma pushed through a budget that includes controversial tax increases on high earners in 2016.
The Baltic state of two million people has also been divided over whether to admit refugees and on a controversial deal to finance the state-owned AirBaltic airline that forced transport minister Anrijs Matiss from office.
Speaking to reporters after Straujuma’s resignation, President Vejonis said Latvians “need a government that works” to deal with “security threats in Europe, the refugee crisis and so on.”
He said he would talk to all political parties before tapping a new candidate for prime minister.
Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis, who recently stood in for Straujuma while she attended a summit in China and whom she herself endorsed on Monday, is seen as a strong candidate.
“Personally Mr Kozlovskis would be my choice as next prime minister… that’s based on how I have seen him do his work… I see him as a person who gets things done,” Straujuma said.
Other names from within the ruling party being circulated include party leader Solvita Aboltina, who was seen as intent on undermining Straujuma in recent weeks, and Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics, though he is regarded as an outside bet.
