Valdis Birkavs

Valdis Birkavs, born in Riga on 28 July 1942, is a Latvian politician who led the first government of Latvia after the restoration of its independence to see a full parliamentary term begin under the Latvian Way party. He studied philosophy, sociology, law, psychology and mathematical logic at the University of Latvia, was first elected to the Latvian parliament in 1990 and helped to found Latvian Way. When that party won the 1993 parliamentary election he became prime minister at the head of a coalition with the Latvian Farmers' Union, and he resigned in mid-1994 after the Farmers' Union left the government. He then served as deputy prime minister and as foreign minister for five years under four different prime ministers, resigning in 1999. Parliament placed him second in the 1999 presidential election, and he was minister of justice until 2000. He is a member of the Club of Madrid, a body of former presidents and prime ministers, was named European of the Year in Latvia in 1999 and holds the Order of the Three Stars, second class.