Latvia’s parliament, the Saeima, voted on Thursday to make Andris Berzins the country’s new president, RIA Novosti correspondent reported.
Parliament had to choose from two candidates – the incumbent president Valdis Zatlers, and lawmaker Andris Berzins.
Zatlers, whose presidential term expires on July 7, lost support among lawmakers in late May after he accused them of being soft with corruption and called for the dissolution of parliament. A referendum on the dissolving parliament is to be held on July 23.
Berzins won with 53 votes against 41 for Zatlers in a second round of voting after neither candidate received the required 51 votes in the 100-seat legislature in the first round.
RIGA, June 2 (RIA Novosti)