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Andris Kulbergs

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Andris Kulbergs
Kulbergs in 2026
25th Prime Minister of Latvia
Incumbent
Assumed office
28 May 2026
PresidentEdgars Rinkēvičs
Preceded byEvika Siliņa
Member of the Saeima
In office
1 November 2022 – 28 May 2026
ConstituencyRiga
Personal details
Born (1979-05-26) 26 May 1979 (age 47)
Riga, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union
PartyIndependent
Other political
affiliations
United List
SpouseAnna Kulberga
Children3
Tallinn University of Technology (BA)
Riga Technical University (MBA)

Andris Kulbergs[needs Latvian IPA] (born 26 May 1979) is a Latvian businessman and politician serving as the prime minister of Latvia since 2026. Before being elected to the Saeima as a non-party member of the United List ticket in 2022,[1][2] he worked in a number of roles in the private sector.[3] He also serves as the president of the Latvian Authorised Automobile Dealers Association.[4] Following the resignation of Prime Minister Evika Siliņa on 14 May 2026,[5] he was tasked by Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs to form a governing coalition for the five months before the 2026 Latvian parliamentary election.[1] He was able to successfully form a coalition of the United List, New Unity, National Alliance, and Union of Greens and Farmers parties, and was confirmed as prime minister on 28 May 2026 with 66 votes in parliament.[6] As prime minister he has called for budgetary reform[7] as well as stricter oversight of the Air Baltic airline[8] and the Rail Baltica infrastructure project,[9] while continuing the pro-Ukraine foreign policy of his predecessors.[10]

Early life and business career

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Kulbergs was born on 26 May 1979 in Riga. He studied at Riga Secondary School No. 50 and Rīgas Komercskola ('Riga School of Commerce') and earned a bachelor's degree in international business from Concordia International University Estonia (later merged with Tallinn University of Technology) in 2002. He also obtained his MBA from the Riga Business School of the Riga Technical University in 2015.[4][11]

Kulbergs has served in a number of private sector roles such as the marketing programme director for the telecommunications company Lattelecom, the managing director for Auto Torino, the regional director for Auto Group Baltic, managing director for Baltic Motors Ltd., head of the Inchcape group of companies in Latvia, and Chairman of the Board of VK Development.[3] Since 2006, he has served in various capacities in the leadership of the Latvian Authorised Automobile Dealers Association, and is currently its president.[4]

Parliamentary career

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In 2022, Kulbergs was elected as a member of the 14th Saeima as a member of the United List alliance, as a non-party member of the NGO "United List of Latvia" (Apvienotais Latvijas saraksts, since 2026 – "Restart of Latvia", Latvijas Restarts) led by the alliance's leader Uldis Pīlēns.[2] In the Saeima, he was the chairman of the Innovation Ecosystem Development Subcommittee and served on the Committee on National Economy, Agrarian, Environmental and Regional Policy and the Committee on Public Expenditure and Audit.[3] He ran for the European Parliament on the United List ticket in 2024, but was not elected.[12]

During his time in parliament, Kulbergs has criticized the implementation of the Rail Baltica infrastructure project, such as the postponed "Riga Loop" portion of the track (which spans from the main track through the Riga Central Station and Riga Airport),[13] predicting that the project might become the "problem of the century".[14] As a member of opposition, he expressed criticism of the Latvian government's emergency loan for flag carrier AirBaltic during the 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis, favoring a complete restructuring of the company.[15]

Prime Minister

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Two days after the resignation of former Prime Minister Evika Siliņa on 14 May 2026,[5] Kulbergs was nominated as candidate for Prime Minister of Latvia by President Edgars Rinkēvičs for the remaining five months until the 2026 Latvian parliamentary election.[1] On 20 May, representatives from Kulbergs's United List as well as the New Unity, National Alliance, and Union of Greens and Farmers parties/alliances announced a four-party coalition had been agreed to in principle.[16] The new government kept in place a number of ministers from the previous Siliņa cabinet.[17] The new government was confirmed on 28 May 2026 with 66 votes in parliament.[6]

Domestic Policy

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Finance

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While a candidate for prime minister, Kulbergs expressed the need to review the current state budget, noting that due to disruptions such as the Strait of Hormuz crisis expenses must be cut in the short term.[7] On 10 June 2026, Kulbergs announced that changes must be made to a new state financing model for municipal govenments that had been developed by the previous government but the implementation of which had been paused due to objections of municipal leaders.[18]

Transportation

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As prime minister, Kulbergs has continued his criticism of the business practices of the majority state-owned flag carrier Air Baltic, saying that "not a single cent" of government money would be invested in the airline until a more rubust long-term business plan had been developed.[8] He also remained devoted to implementing reforms in the Rail Baltica project, criticizing Estonian officials of being overly optimistic about timelines and suggesting cost-reduction solutions such as reduing the speed of the trains.[9] Kulbergs offered to take a leadership role, claiming that out of the other Baltic leaders he was the most technically knowledgeable person about the project.[19]

Foreign Policy

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Kulbergs participating in the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC 2026) in Poland

On 26 May, Kulbergs announced that Baiba Braže would be one of five ministers from the previous coalition who would continue working in the new government, signaling that there would not be a departure from the western-oriented foreign policy taken by previous governments.[20] As have previous prime ministers, Kulbergs made his first foreign visit as prime minister to Estonia on 9 June 2026.[10]

Russia

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In the Kulbergs government declaration announced on 18 May 2026, the implementation of "measures to weaken and isolate Russia" was outlined as a priority.[21] On 2 June 2026, Kulbergs instructed foreign minister Baibe Braže to find a solution in coordination with the European Union to halt imports and exports with Russia, however adding that exceptions might be made in certain sectors such as pharmaceuticals.[22] Russian State Duma Defense Committee member Andrei Kolesnik threatened that Russia might fire upon on planned drone-producing facility in eastern Latvia due to it producing weapons seen seen as intending to target the Russian Armed Forces.[23]

Ukraine

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Like his predecessors, Kulbergs has expressed strong support for Ukraine in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, signing a comprehensive defense cooperation agreement between Latvia and Ukraine with president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 9 June 2026.[10] On 29 June 2026, Kulbergs announced the opening of a joint drone factory with Ukraine in the region of Latgale near the borders of Russia and Belarus.[24] Kulbergs has expressed support for Ukrainian ascension into NATO, calling the Ukrainian military one of the world's strongest.[25]

Personal life

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Kulbergs is married to Anna Kulberga, with whom he has three children.[26] An automotive fan, Kulbergs publicly disclosed in 2022 upon election to Saeima that he owns 11 automobiles.[27] In 2022 after suffering an automobile accident that temporarily required him to use a wheelchair, he advocated for infrastructure improvements to the streets and sidewalks of Riga to be better accessible for those with special needs.[28] When his second child was born in 2023, it was reported by Latvian media sources how he drove his wife and baby home in a rally car, which has been a family tradition for two generations.[29]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 "United List's Andris Kulbergs asked to form a new Latvian government". Public Broadcasting of Latvia. 16 May 2026.
  2. 1 2 "Rinkēvičs dod Kulbergam iespēju izveidot valdību". Delfi (in Latvian). 16 May 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 "Bezpartejisks problēmu risinātājs. Kas ir premjera amatam nominētais Andris Kulbergs?". www.lsm.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 29 May 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 "Kas ir jaunais Ministru prezidents? Ieskats Andra Kulberga biogrāfijā". Sabiedrība un politika (in Latvian). 16 May 2026. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Siliņa atkāpjas no premjeres amata". Sabiedrība un politika (in Latvian). 14 May 2026. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
  6. 1 2 lvportals.lv. "Ar 66 balsīm Saeima izsaka uzticību Andra Kulberga valdībai. Fokusā drošība, budžeta stabilizēšana, vēlēšanu norise, cīņa pret karteļiem un korupciju - LV portāls". lvportals.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 29 May 2026.
  7. 1 2 "Budget must be urgently reviewed, says PM candidate Kulbergs". eng.lsm.lv. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Kulbergs: Neviens cents vairs netiks ieguldīts "airBaltic", kamēr tiek rādīti "Minhauzena plāni"". tv3.lv (in Latvian). 1 July 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  9. 1 2 LETA (1 July 2026). "Rail Baltica by 2030? Latvian Prime Minister says it's impossible". Baltic News Network. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 "Latvija ar Ukrainu vienojas par sadarbību aizsardzības jomā, pārņems Ukrainas pieredzi cīņā pret droniem". www.lsm.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  11. ↑ Gaujere, Gundega (28 May 2026). "No auto biznesa līdz valdības vadītāja krēslam: kas ir jaunais premjers Andris Kulbergs?" (in Latvian). TV3 Latvia. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
  12. ↑ "Andris Kulbergs - "APVIENOTAIS SARAKSTS - Latvijas Zaļā partija, Latvijas Reģionu Apvienība, Liepājas partija" / Eiropas Parlamenta vēlēšanas 2024 - LSM.lv". www.lsm.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 29 May 2026.
  13. ↑ "Andris Kulbergs: lēmums "Rail Baltica" projektā iekļaut "Rīgas cilpu" pieņemts bezatbildīgi". saeima.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 29 May 2026.
  14. ↑ Kulbergs: "Rail Baltica" var kļūt par gadsimta problēmu - REplay.lv (in Latvian). 2 July 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2026 – via replay.lsm.lv.
  15. ↑ "Kulbergs: "airBaltic" nepieciešams restrukturizācijas plāns, nevis jauns aizdevums". Transports un loģistika (in Latvian). 14 April 2026. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
  16. ↑ "«Apvienotais saraksts», «Jaunā Vienotība», Nacionālā apvienība un ZZS vienojas veidot valdību; katram – 4 amati". www.lsm.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 29 May 2026.
  17. ↑ Konrāde, Pārsla (29 May 2026). "Jaunās valdības jeb Latvijas 43. Ministru kabineta sastāvs". Dzirkstele.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 29 May 2026.
  18. ↑ "Kulbergs vēlētos izmaiņas pašvaldību finanšu izlīdzināšanas risinājumā". Delfi (in Latvian). 10 June 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  19. ↑ "Igauņiem nav speciālistu, bet politiķi, kas sapņo – Kulbergs par sacensību ap "Rail Baltica"". tv3.lv (in Latvian). 1 July 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  20. ↑ Spalvēns, Raivis (26 May 2026). "Kulbergs nosauc valdības sastāvu; pieci esošie ministri turpinās darbu". Delfi (in Latvian). Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  21. ↑ "Deklarācija par Andra Kulberga vadītā Ministru kabineta iecerēto darbību | Ministru kabinets". www.mk.gov.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  22. ↑ "Кулбергс поручит Браже найти решение для прекращения торговли с Россией". Delfi (in Russian). 2 June 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  23. ↑ "Krievijas Valsts domē draud šaut pa Latviju, ja tur uzcels dronu rūpnīcu". https://jauns.lv (in Latvian). 29 June 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)
  24. ↑ Höller, Linus (30 June 2026). "Latvia and Ukraine to open drone factory right on Baltic nation's border with Russia". Defense News. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  25. ↑ S.A, Telewizja Polska. "Ukraine should help shape NATO's defenses, not stay outside them, Latvian PM says". tvpworld.com. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  26. ↑ "Kulbergam mājās nobrucis viss, kas vien varējis nobrukt; sieva ārā vēl nedzenot". nra.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 29 May 2026.
  27. ↑ "Deputāts Kulbergs deklarējis 11 transportlīdzekļus". Sabiedrība un politika (in Latvian). 26 December 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
  28. ↑ "VIDEO. "Pilsēta ir nepiemērota invalīdiem!": Andris Kulbergs pēc piedzīvotās autoavārijas pa Rīgu spiests pārvietoties ratiņkrēslā". LA.LV (in Latvian). Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  29. ↑ Kalnbērza, Evija. "Kulbergs dēlu no Dzemdību nama ved mājās ar ekskluzīvu rallija auto". www.santa.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 31 May 2026.
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