On Thursday, 14 June, the Saeima elected Inese Lībiņa-Egnere (Zatlers’ Reform Party) to the position of Deputy Speaker of the Saeima.

In an open vote with paper ballots, Lībiņa-Egnere’s candidacy was supported by 76 members of parliament, whilst 4 were against.

Lībiņa-Egnere was elected to the 11th Saeima from Zatler’s Reform Party list in the Kurzeme constituency. The MP is Deputy Chairperson of the Legal Affairs Committee and heads the Latvian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. She also works in the European Affairs Committee and the Citizenship Law Amendments Subcommittee, as well as in several groups for interparliamentary relations.

Lībiņa-Egnere will replace Inga Bite in the Presidium of the Saeima. Today the Saeima relieved Bite of her duties as Deputy Speaker.

The Presidium of the Saeima consists of five members of parliament – Speaker Solvita Āboltiņa (Unity), Deputy Speakers Inese Lībiņa-Egnere (Zatlers’ Reform Party) and Andrejs Klementjevs (Concord Centre), Secretary Dzintars Rasnačs (National Alliance of All for Latvia! and For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK) and Deputy Secretary Jānis Vucāns (Union of Greens and Farmers).

In the absence of the Speaker, the responsibilities of the position are delegated to one of the Deputy Speakers according to mutual agreement. The members of the Presidium set the internal rules and work agenda of the Chancellery of the Saeima and other organisational units, meet with foreign officials and fulfil various other duties.



Saeima Press Service