Dr. Krišjānis Kariņš

Krišjānis Kariņš was Prime Minister of Latvia from January 2019 to September 2023. He led his country through a banking sector crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, hybrid attacks using weaponised migration from Belarus, and the initial phase of Russia’s all-out war of aggression against Ukraine. He was the first Prime Minister of Latvia to successfully lead a government for a full term, and guided his party to victory in the 2022 elections, forming a new coalition government. Following a transition of leadership to a party colleague, he served as Foreign Minister until April 2024. Throughout his tenure, he ensured Latvia consistently met and exceeded the NATO defence spending target of 2% of GDP, and advanced the procurement of air and coastal defence systems as well as rocket artillery, while overseeing the reintroduction of compulsory military service. His political career dates back to 2002, when he co-founded the anti-corruption party New Era and was elected to Parliament. He then served as Minister of Economics from 2004 to 2006. In 2009, he was elected to the European Parliament and served for nearly a decade. 

Krišjānis Kariņš holds a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania.