Latvian PM announces resignation

Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins announced on Monday that he would resign amid differences with coalition partners, reported Xinhua.

Karins, who is the leader of the center-right New Unity, blamed the centrist United List and conservative National Alliance for thwarting attempts to improve the government's performance.

"A new government is needed," Karins told a press conference, adding that he would hand in his resignation to President Edgars Rinkevics on Thursday.

Karins also said that he would not seek reappointment as prime minister.

The move comes as a U-turn after his announcement last week that he will start consultations on forming a new cabinet with two opposition parties -- the center-left Progressives and centrist Greens and Farmers. Earlier, New Unity's existing current partners did not agree to a government reshuffle within the coalition.

New Unity plans to name its prime minister candidate on Wednesday.

Karins, a former economy minister and member of European Parliament, became the country's prime minister in 2019 as a compromise candidate heading a five-party coalition in which New Unity was the smallest member. After New Unity won the parliamentary election last year, Karins managed to form a three-party government with a slim majority. But the new coalition was marred by disagreements.