Latvia Ministers

Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
The Republic of Latvia/Republika Latvijas (Female suffrage 1918) Independent 1918-44 and 4.5.90

Also see Latvia Heads and Latvia Parliament

1961-88 Minister of Social Affairs Valentina Pikkels

1965-89 Minister of Food Industry Irena Davidovna Kuznetsova

1970-76 Head of the Central Committee of the Department of Industry and Transport Vera Vasilevna Leonova
1976-? Chairperson of the State Committee of Labour in the Council of Ministers

Ca. 1986-89 Deputy CHairperson of the Council of Ministers Nina Denisenko

Ca. 1986-90 Chairperson of the State Committee Publishing Houses, Printing Plants and the Book Trade Irena Remiantis

1988-90 Minister of Social Affairs Gunn Luss

1992-93 State Minister of Finance Valentīna Andrējeva
2004-06 State Secretary of Finance

1990-94 Deputy State Secretary of Foreign Ministry Vita Anda Teravda
1994-95 Minister for State Reform
Turned down the post of Minister of Defence in 1995. (b. 1963 in USA)

1993-94 Chairperson of the Cabinet-Committee for Physical Culture and Sport Dania Sveica

1993-2003 State Secretary of Welfare Maija Poršņova

1994-95 State Minister of Finance Indra Sāmīte
1995 Minister of Finance

1994-2005 State Secretary of Finance Valentīna Andrējeva

1994-95 State Secretary of Education and Science Eiženija Aldermane

1995-97 State Minister of Finance for State Revenue Aija Poča
1998-99 State Minister for Revenue

1995-97 State Minister of Finance for Investments and Credit Policy Sarmite Jegere

1996-97 Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Economy Inese Vaidere
1998-99 Minister for Environment
Presidential Candidate in 1999, Presidential Advisor on Economical and Political Affairs 1999-2001, Vice-Mayor of Riga 2001-02 and from 2002 MP and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee. (d. 1952-).

1997 Minister of European Affairs Ilga Kreituse
Chairperson of the Saeima 1995-96.

1997-98 Minister of Culture Ramona Umblija

1998-99 and 2000-02 Minister of Justice Ingrida Labucka
Judge and Lawyer, Member of the International Court of Arbitration in the Hague 2001-04, Member of Parliament 2002-04), Judge at the European Court of Human Rights from 2004. (b. 1964-).

1998-2002 Minister of Culture Karina Pētersone
2006 Minister for Special Assignments for Society Integration Affairs
Vice-President of the Saema 2006-09 and from 2010 and nominated as Presidential Candidate in 2007, but withdrew before the elections.

1998-99 Government Spokesperson Liga Krapane

1999 Minister of Economics Ingrīda Ūdre
2004 Designate European Commissioner of Taxation and Revenue
From 1998 Co-Chairperson and 1998-99 Vice-Chairperson of the Saeima Fracion of the New Party, before becoming leader of Leader Union of Greens and Farmers, and it's Deputy Parliamentary Group Chairperson 2002-06, Presidential Candidate in 1999 and Chairperson of the Saeima 2002-06. In 2004 she opted not to become Prime Minister but let someone else from her party take that post. Her nomination met with severe critic in both Latvia and the European Parliament and she was later asked to withdraw her nomination. (b. 1958-).

1999 State Minister of Higher Education Tatjana Koķe

1999-2007 President Vaira Vîke-Freiberga
She grew up in exile in Canada and was Professor of Linguistics in Montreal before returning to Latvia in 1998. (b. 1937-)

1999-2002 Minister of Education and Science Silva Golde

1999-2010 Chancellor of the Government Gunta Veismane
As Director of the State Chancellery she is head of the civil service and Secretary of the Cabinet. The Deputy Director was Una Klapkalne.

2000-06 State Secretary of Agriculture Laimdota Straujuma
2007-10 Regional Development and Development
2011- Minsiter of Agriculture
Deputy State Secretary of Agriculture 1999-2000 and Deputy State Secretary Regional Development and Development 2010-11. (b. 1951-)

2002-04 Minister of Foreign Affairs Sandra Kalniete
2004 EU-Commissioner without Portfolio attatched to the Commissioner for Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development
She was Deputy Chairperson and of Latvian Popular Front 1988-90, Chief of State Protocol, Deputy Foreign Minister 1990-93, Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva 1993-97 to Ambassador to France 1997-2002 and 2000-2002 also to UNESCO. From May member of the European Commisison but she was not reappointed by the government when Latvia became a full member of the EU. Candidate for the post of Parliamentary Speaker in 2006. Nominated as Presidential Candidate in 2007 but withdrew from the race. Leader of Pilsoniskā savienība (Civic union) from 2008. (b. 1953-).

2002-04 Minister of Culture Inguna Ribena
MP for the The New Era Party from 2002. From 2005 Secretary of the Saeima. (b. 1956-).

2002-07 Minister of Welfare Dagnija Staķe
2006 Minister of Education
Chairperson of the Tume Parish Council 1994-2002 and Chairperson of the Tukums District Council, 1997-2002 as member of the Union of Greens and Farmers. (b. 1951-)

2002-04 Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior Linda Mūrniece
2005 Parliamentary Secretary of Defence
2006 Minister of Defence
2009-11 Minister of Interior
2010 Acting Minister of Health
Deputy Chairperson of the New Era Party in 2004. (b. 1970-)

2003-04 Minister of Health Ingrida Circene
MP for the The New Era Party from 2002. (b. 1956-).

2003-08 State Secretary of Welfare Baiba Paševica
All six Deputy State Secretaries in the Department were female. Later Head of the State Employment Agency

2004 Minister of Justice Vineta Muižniece
Head of People’s Party Faction in the Saeima 2000-02, Legal Affairs Committee 2002-04 Deputy Head of People’s Party Faction in the Saeima and Member of the European Affairs Committee since 2004 and from 2005 Vice-Chairperson of the Saeima. (b. 1956-)

2004-09 Minister of Culture Helēna Demakova
2004 Acting Foreign Minister (20-21 April)
2007 Acting Foreign Minister (29 October-7 November)
MP for the People's Party 1998-2002 and former Advisor to the Prime Minister. (b. 1959-).

2004-06 Minister of Justice Solvita Āboltiņa
2005-06 Acting Minister of Defence (23.12-05.01.06)
Worked in the Foreign Ministry 1993-2003 and Member of the Saeima 2002-04 and again from 2006, Vice-Chairperson of the Parliamentary Faction of Jaunais laiks (New Ara) since 2006-08, Party Leader from 2008 and Vice-President of the Saeima from 2009 and President from 2010. The Prime Minister is from her party. (b. 1962-).

2004-06 Minister of Education and Science Ina Druviete
Professor in Latvian Language, Member of the Saeima 2002-04. (b. 1958-).

2005 and 2007-08 Minister for Special Assignments for Electronic Government Ina Gudele

2006-09 Minister of Education and Science Baiba Rivža

2006 State Secretary of Education and Science Kristīne Jarinovska

2006-08 State Secretary of Finance Irēna Krūmane
State Treasurerer 2004-06

2006- State Secretary of Culture Solvita Zvidrina

2006-07 Parliamentary Secretary of Education and Science Tatjana Koķe
2007-10 Minister of Education and Science
2010 Acting Minister of Justice

2007-08 Minister for Special Assignments for Electronic Government Affairs Olita Magone

2007-08 Minister for Integration Inga Liepa

2007- State Secretary of Agriculture Dace Lucaua

2007 Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Welfare Iveta Purne
2007-09 Minister of Welfare

2009- State Secretary of of Ilze Pētersone-Godmane

2010-11 Minister of Culture Sarmīte Ēlerte

2010-11 Minister of Welfare Ilona Jurševska