Elections, EU – Baltic States, Latvia
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Thursday, 28.03.2024, 12:53
Burovs elected new Riga mayor
In total, 48 lawmakers took part in the elections, and 35 votes were cast for Burovs – 11 GKR lawmakers, four members of the Independent Lawmakers’ Group, three members of For Riga bloc, and 17 Harmony lawmakers.
The other mayoral candidate – Viesturs Zeps from For Latvia’s Development – received 12 votes – eight from For Latvia’s Development and four from the National Alliance.
Four Unity and seven New Conservative Party members did not participate in the vote and left the room before the vote started. The voting slip of independent lawmaker Baiba Broka was found invalid.
Problems at the Riga City Council started when long-term mayor Nils Usakovs (Harmony) was suspended from the position, but in he was elected to the European Parliament.
Shortly after the European Parliament elections, Dainis Turlais (GKR) was elected the Riga mayor, but the Riga City Council coalition split up and four lawmakers were expelled from the Harmony party. Turlais had been trying to form a new coalition for three weeks, but lost his position in a no-confidence vote on June 21.
The city council had until August 20 to elect a new mayor, otherwise the city council could be dissolved and a snap election called in Riga.