Kusiņš Emerges as Leading Candidate for Latvia‘s Ombudsman Position
RIGA, Latvia - Juris Kusiņš is now considered the frontrunner to become Latvia’s next Ombudsman, following a decision not to pursue the role by previous contender, Māris Kusa. A hearing within the ruling coalition is scheduled for Wednesday, with the aim of presenting a unified candidate who may also garner opposition support.
The position of Ombudsman has been vacant since June, when Juris Jansons was removed by the Saeima after 14 years in office due to concerns regarding his conduct.
The three-party coalition – New Unity, the Progressives, and Kusiņš’s own faction – remains committed to nominating a single candidate. Edmunds Jurēvics of New Unity anticipates a vote on the new Ombudsman either next week or the week after. Andris Šuvajevs of the Progressives emphasized the need for a candidate with strong human rights expertise and the courage to challenge both the government and parliament when necessary.
Meanwhile, Justice minister Inese valainis has called for a thorough review of the Ombudsman’s Office’s functions and expenses, noting its larger size and overlapping responsibilities with institutions like the Consumer Rights Protection Center. While acknowledging a lack of political will to eliminate the office entirely, Valainis believes a discussion about optimization is “absolutely appropriate.”
Candidates must be submitted by Thursday, September 4th, and opposition factions are also expected to put forward nominees.
