Edgars Rinkēvičs

Edgars Rinkēvičs
Rinkēvičs in 2023
Edgars Rinkēvičs
Born	21 9, 1973
Birthplace	Jūrmala, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union
Nationality	Latvian
Occupation	Politician, diplomat
Title	President of Latvia
Known for	11th President of Latvia; longest-serving Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs; first openly gay head of state in an EU country
Education	University of Latvia; Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy

Edgars Rinkēvičs (born 21 September 1973) is a Latvian politician and public official who has served as the 11th President of Latvia since 8 July 2023. A figure whose career has spanned the critical post-independence decades of Latvian statehood, Rinkēvičs rose through the ranks of Latvian diplomacy and defence policy before becoming one of the longest-serving foreign ministers in the history of the European Union, holding that portfolio continuously from October 2011 to July 2023 under four successive prime ministers. He was elected president by the Saeima on 31 May 2023 and took the oath of office on 8 July 2023, succeeding Egils Levits. Upon assuming the presidency, Rinkēvičs became the first openly gay head of state in any European Union member country. Prior to his election, he had been affiliated with Latvian Way, the Reform Party, and Unity, but left the latter upon taking office in keeping with the Latvian custom of presidential political neutrality.

Early Life

Edgars Rinkēvičs was born on 21 September 1973 in Jūrmala, then part of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic within the Soviet Union. Jūrmala, a resort city on the coast of the Gulf of Riga, was at the time a prominent destination within the Soviet Baltic republics. Rinkēvičs grew up during a period of significant political transformation. His formative years coincided with the era of perestroika and glasnost under Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, and he came of age as Latvia moved towards the restoration of its independence, which was formally declared on 4 May 1990 and internationally recognized in August 1991.

The political upheaval surrounding Latvian independence appears to have had a formative influence on the young Rinkēvičs, who would go on to dedicate his professional life to Latvian foreign policy, security, and Euro-Atlantic integration. Latvia's transition from a Soviet republic to an independent democratic state created new opportunities for a generation of young Latvians to participate in building the institutions of their restored nation, and Rinkēvičs was among those who entered public service during this critical period.

Education

Rinkēvičs pursued his higher education at the University of Latvia, one of the country's oldest and most prominent academic institutions, located in Riga. His studies there provided the academic foundation for his subsequent career in diplomacy and public administration.

In addition to his Latvian education, Rinkēvičs undertook studies abroad at the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy (formerly the Industrial College of the Armed Forces) in the United States. The Eisenhower School, part of the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., focuses on national security strategy and resource management, providing senior-level education to military officers and government civilians. This training in national security studies would prove significant for Rinkēvičs's later roles in Latvian defence and foreign affairs.

Career

Early Government Service

Following his education, Rinkēvičs entered Latvian government service, where he held a number of positions within the country's defence and foreign policy apparatus. He served as the head of the Chancery of the President of Latvia, gaining experience at the highest level of the Latvian executive. He also held the position of state secretary of the Ministry of Defence, one of the most senior civil service positions within the ministry, responsible for overseeing its administrative operations.

These early positions placed Rinkēvičs at the centre of Latvian security policy during a consequential period for the Baltic states, as Latvia pursued membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union—goals that were achieved in 2004. His work in the defence sector gave him substantial expertise in Euro-Atlantic security matters that would later inform his tenure as foreign minister.

Rinkēvičs also served as a deputy of the Saeima, Latvia's unicameral parliament, giving him experience in the legislative branch of government in addition to his executive roles.

Political Affiliations

Over the course of his career, Rinkēvičs was affiliated with several centre-right political parties in Latvia. He was a member of Latvian Way (Latvijas Ceļš) from 1998 to 2004, a liberal-conservative party that played a significant role in Latvian politics in the years following independence.

In 2012, Rinkēvičs joined the Reform Party (Reformu partija). In May 2014, along with several other Reform Party deputies, Rinkēvičs moved to the Unity party (Vienotība), a centre-right political alliance that had been formed in 2010 and served as a dominant force in Latvian coalition politics. Rinkēvičs remained a member of Unity until his election as president in 2023, at which point he left the party. It is customary in Latvia for presidents to maintain political neutrality and to relinquish formal party affiliations upon assuming the office.

Minister of Foreign Affairs (2011–2023)

Rinkēvičs was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia on 25 October 2011, succeeding Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis. He would go on to serve in this role for nearly twelve years, spanning the governments of four different prime ministers: Valdis Dombrovskis, Laimdota Straujuma, Māris Kučinskis, and Krišjānis Kariņš. This extraordinary continuity made Rinkēvičs one of the longest-serving foreign ministers in the European Union and provided Latvia with a consistent diplomatic voice during a turbulent period in European and global affairs.

During his tenure as foreign minister, Rinkēvičs oversaw Latvian foreign policy through a series of major geopolitical developments. Latvia's relationship with Russia was a central and persistent concern, particularly following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the beginning of the conflict in eastern Ukraine. As the foreign minister of a country that shares a border with Russia and has a significant Russian-speaking minority, Rinkēvičs was a prominent voice within the EU and NATO calling for a firm response to Russian aggression and for strengthening the security of the Alliance's eastern flank.

Rinkēvičs was also involved in Latvia's presidency of the Council of the European Union, which took place during the first half of 2015. This was Latvia's first turn holding the rotating presidency since joining the EU in 2004, and Rinkēvičs played a central role in coordinating EU foreign policy during this period.

In May 2023, shortly before his election as president, Rinkēvičs served briefly as President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, a role he held from 17 May 2023 until he assumed the Latvian presidency on 8 July 2023.

A profile by Politico described Rinkēvičs as a significant figure in Latvian and European diplomacy, noting his long tenure and his role in navigating Latvia's foreign policy challenges.

Election as President

On 31 May 2023, the Saeima elected Edgars Rinkēvičs as the 11th President of Latvia. Under the Latvian constitution, the president is elected not by direct popular vote but by the members of the Saeima (the 100-seat parliament). Rinkēvičs secured enough parliamentary votes to win the election and was confirmed as the successor to outgoing president Egils Levits.

Rinkēvičs took the oath of office on 8 July 2023 in a ceremony held in the Saeima building in Riga. Upon being inaugurated, he formally became independent of any political party, in accordance with the tradition that the Latvian president acts as a non-partisan head of state. His successor as Minister of Foreign Affairs was Krišjānis Kariņš, who had previously served as prime minister.

Since taking office, Rinkēvičs has served alongside Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš and subsequently Prime Minister Evika Siliņa, who assumed office later in 2023.

Presidency

As president, Rinkēvičs assumed the role of Latvia's head of state, a position that in the Latvian constitutional system carries significant powers in foreign affairs, the nomination of prime ministers, the promulgation of laws, and the representation of the country internationally. The president also serves as commander-in-chief of the Latvian armed forces.

Rinkēvičs brought to the presidency an unusually deep background in foreign policy and security, having spent over a decade as Latvia's chief diplomat. His presidency has been situated in a period of heightened geopolitical tension in Europe, particularly owing to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which has had profound implications for the security of the Baltic states and the broader Euro-Atlantic community.

Personal Life

Rinkēvičs's personal life became a matter of public discussion in November 2014, when he publicly acknowledged that he is gay, doing so via a post on social media. At the time, he was serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the announcement made him one of the highest-ranking openly LGBT officials in the Baltic states and in Central and Eastern Europe more broadly.

When Rinkēvičs assumed the presidency on 8 July 2023, he became the first openly gay head of state in any European Union member country—a fact noted by international media at the time of his election and inauguration. Latvia, like many countries in the region, has had public debates over LGBT rights, and Rinkēvičs's coming out and subsequent election to the presidency were seen as notable developments in this context.

Rinkēvičs has generally maintained a measured public approach to his personal life, focusing his public statements on matters of policy and governance rather than on personal matters.

Recognition

Rinkēvičs's long tenure as Minister of Foreign Affairs, spanning nearly twelve years and four prime ministers, was itself a notable achievement in Latvian and European politics. His continuity in office provided Latvia with a stable and recognizable diplomatic presence in international forums at a time when many other European countries experienced frequent changes in their foreign policy leadership.

His election as president was reported by major international news organizations, including Reuters, which noted both the political significance of the vote and the historic nature of his becoming the first openly gay EU head of state. Politico, a leading European and American political publication, profiled Rinkēvičs during his time as foreign minister, underlining his role in Latvian and European diplomacy.

Rinkēvičs's service was also recognized through his brief tenure as President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in 2023, a position that placed him at the head of one of Europe's principal intergovernmental organizations focused on human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.

Legacy

Although Rinkēvičs's presidency is ongoing, several aspects of his career have already established a significant legacy in Latvian public life and European politics. His nearly twelve-year tenure as Minister of Foreign Affairs made him a defining figure in Latvian diplomacy during a period that encompassed Latvia's first EU Council presidency, the deterioration of relations with Russia, and the broader realignment of European security in response to Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Rinkēvičs's 2014 decision to come out publicly as gay, and his subsequent election to the presidency in 2023, marked a historic moment for LGBT representation in European politics. His election demonstrated that an openly gay politician could ascend to the highest office in a country that had not previously been considered at the forefront of LGBT rights in Europe. International coverage of his election frequently highlighted this aspect of his biography, situating it within the broader trajectory of increasing LGBT representation in global politics.

As president, Rinkēvičs has continued to emphasize the importance of Euro-Atlantic solidarity, Latvian national security, and the country's role within the European Union and NATO. His background as a career diplomat and security official has shaped his approach to the presidency, bringing a strong focus on foreign policy and defence to the office.