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| Latvia Government Falls as Prime Minister Quits | |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| RIGA, Latvia — Latvia’s first female prime minister said Monday that she was resigning after less than two years, a move that brought down the government and left politicians puzzling over what would come next. | RIGA, Latvia — Latvia’s first female prime minister said Monday that she was resigning after less than two years, a move that brought down the government and left politicians puzzling over what would come next. |
| The announcement by the prime minister, Laimdota Straujuma, came four days after she had warned publicly of what she described as a backstage campaign to get rid of her. “I cannot be broken psychologically,” she said at the time, vowing defiantly to continue, though declining to mention the plotters by name. | The announcement by the prime minister, Laimdota Straujuma, came four days after she had warned publicly of what she described as a backstage campaign to get rid of her. “I cannot be broken psychologically,” she said at the time, vowing defiantly to continue, though declining to mention the plotters by name. |
| But she later sent text messages to fellow members of her center-right Unity party — the largest in a broad coalition that includes the Greens and Farmers party as well as the far-right National Alliance — saying that she was indeed bowing to pressure and stepping down. | But she later sent text messages to fellow members of her center-right Unity party — the largest in a broad coalition that includes the Greens and Farmers party as well as the far-right National Alliance — saying that she was indeed bowing to pressure and stepping down. |
| “New ideas, new input, new energy is needed,” she told reporters in Riga, the capital, on Monday. | “New ideas, new input, new energy is needed,” she told reporters in Riga, the capital, on Monday. |
| The announcement follows a turbulent few months for the prime minister and her party. The government has struggled to develop a coherent policy after agreeing to absorb a European Union quota of 776 refugees over the next two years, with the first scheduled to arrive this winter. While considered a small number even for Latvia, a nation of just two million, the prime minister was unable to dissuade the National Alliance from a damaging attempt to overturn the government’s decision and keep refugees out. | The announcement follows a turbulent few months for the prime minister and her party. The government has struggled to develop a coherent policy after agreeing to absorb a European Union quota of 776 refugees over the next two years, with the first scheduled to arrive this winter. While considered a small number even for Latvia, a nation of just two million, the prime minister was unable to dissuade the National Alliance from a damaging attempt to overturn the government’s decision and keep refugees out. |
| Equally pressing was a feud between Ms. Straujuma and her transport minister, which appeared to reveal her limited grasp on his activities. Further compounding Ms. Straujuma’s troubles were difficult negotiations for the budget for 2016, conducted in the midst of strikes and tax revolts, as the government anxiously searched for funds to meet new NATO spending commitments in the face of a resurgent Russia. | Equally pressing was a feud between Ms. Straujuma and her transport minister, which appeared to reveal her limited grasp on his activities. Further compounding Ms. Straujuma’s troubles were difficult negotiations for the budget for 2016, conducted in the midst of strikes and tax revolts, as the government anxiously searched for funds to meet new NATO spending commitments in the face of a resurgent Russia. |
| “This government was formed from the start on shaky grounds,” said Iveta Kazoka, a senior policy analyst at Providus, a Latvian research group. “It only weathered the storm for so long because of a lack of alternatives.” | “This government was formed from the start on shaky grounds,” said Iveta Kazoka, a senior policy analyst at Providus, a Latvian research group. “It only weathered the storm for so long because of a lack of alternatives.” |
| Ms. Straujuma will continue in the role until a successor is found, but labyrinthine allegiances in the Saeima, Latvia’s Parliament, will make the task of finding a credible successor difficult, parliamentarians said. | Ms. Straujuma will continue in the role until a successor is found, but labyrinthine allegiances in the Saeima, Latvia’s Parliament, will make the task of finding a credible successor difficult, parliamentarians said. |
| Complicated and intertwined parties have historically opted for coalitions of last resort to keep out the Harmony party, which holds more seats in the Saeima than its rivals but has ties to United Russia, the party of Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin. | Complicated and intertwined parties have historically opted for coalitions of last resort to keep out the Harmony party, which holds more seats in the Saeima than its rivals but has ties to United Russia, the party of Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin. |
| “Everything is open right now. Nothing is clear,” said Veiko Spolitis, a member of Parliament in Ms. Straujuma’s party. | “Everything is open right now. Nothing is clear,” said Veiko Spolitis, a member of Parliament in Ms. Straujuma’s party. |
| Mr. Spolitis said that he expected hard-fought negotiations but that the Harmony party would be excluded from any coalition. He further expected that President Raimonds Vejonis would ultimately step in to appoint a new prime minister. | Mr. Spolitis said that he expected hard-fought negotiations but that the Harmony party would be excluded from any coalition. He further expected that President Raimonds Vejonis would ultimately step in to appoint a new prime minister. |
| Mr. Vejonis has remained noncommittal about who that might be until he has spoken to all the parties. | Mr. Vejonis has remained noncommittal about who that might be until he has spoken to all the parties. |