Latvian Presidency: Valdis Zatlers vs. Current Officeholder

Valdis Zatlers is not the current president of Latvia. He served as the 7th president from July 8, 2007 to July 8, 2011 (one four-year term).

Presidential Succession Since Zatlers

1. Andris Bērziņš (2011–2015) — 8th president.
2. Raimonds Vējonis (2015–2019) — 9th president; first Green Party head of state in EU.
3. Egils Levits (2019–2023) — 10th president; jurist, former European Court of Justice judge.
4. Edgars Rinkēvičs (since July 8, 2023) — 11th and current president; former Foreign Minister (2011–2023); first openly gay head of state in EU.

Role of the Latvian President

• Parliamentary republic: President is head of state; Prime Minister (currently Evika Siliņa, since Sept 2023) heads government.
• Powers: Promulgates laws, nominates PM, commands armed forces (ceremonial), represents Latvia internationally, can dissolve Saeima (parliament) under specific conditions.
• Election: By Saeima (100 members); 4-year term, max 2 terms.

Zatlers' Notable Actions

Zatlers initiated dissolution of Saeima in 2011 (referendum approved), triggering snap elections. He also championed anti-corruption measures and Latvia's IMF/EU crisis recovery program.

For absolute latest, consult president.lv (official site).