Siliņa was born inRiga[5] on 3 August 1975.[1] She studied at theUniversity of Latvia from 1993 to 1997, where she obtained a bachelor's degree in law and at theRiga Graduate School of Law for a master's degree in social sciences, international law, and European law.[6]
From 2003 to 2012, Siliņa worked as a lawyer specializing in international and domestic business law. Her clients included firms in telecommunications and IT as well as government bodies.[1]
Siliņa served as the Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Interior from January 2013 until 23 January 2019.[9] During her tenure as the Ministry of Interior's Secretary, Silina was praised for her openness to journalists, as well as for her fight againstsynthetic cannabinoids and their circulation in Latvia.[10][11] She also represented the Ministry in international organizations such as theUnited Nations,INTERPOL, andCEPOL.[12]
Following the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers led by Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš on 23 January 2019, she assumed the role ofParliamentary Secretary [lv] to the Prime Minister.[13][14]
On 6 December 2022, Siliņa was appointed as the Minister of Welfare in the Krišjānis Kariņš' cabinet.[16] Thenew cabinet was confirmed on 14 December.[17]
As the Minister of Welfare, increasing minimum income was one of her main objectives.[18] On 23 February 2023, she was appointed by the Prime Minister as a member of the newly formed Thematic Committee on European Union Funds.[19] On 4 July 2023, her Ministry brought to theSaeima ratification of theIstanbul Convention with somereservations and the non-support of the government partnerNational Alliance.[20][21]
Siliņa with Finnish Prime MinisterPetteri Orpo in Helsinki, 24 November 2023
On 16 August 2023, after the resignation ofKrišjānis Kariņš, the New Unity nominated Siliņa as a candidate for the post ofprime minister.[22] On 24 August, she was asked by PresidentEdgars Rinkēvičs to form a government.[23]
On 29 August,United List declined to be part of a four-party coalition government following the offer by Siliņa.[24] On 1 September, Siliņa indicated that she intended to forge a new parliamentary majority with theUnion of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) andThe Progressives (P).[25] Twelve days later she unveiled the composition of the new government, in which New Unity (JV) had seven ministries, ZZS four and P three, with Krišjānis Kariņš recalled as Minister of Foreign Affairs.[26]
The government coalition led by Siliņa won the confidence of the parliamentary majority in the Saeima on 15 September 2023, receiving 53 votes.[27] In her speech, the new Prime Minister emphasized the need to be more inclusive, which was interpreted as prioritizing gender equality and other progressive goals. For theRussian-speaking minority, inclusion assumes elimination of the "non-citizen" status and integration into the Latvian-based education system.[5] The government also aims to increase the military budget and complete the construction of the barrier on the country's border with Russia and Belarus.[5] Siliņa is the second woman to become prime minister of Latvia, followingLaimdota Straujuma in 2014–2016.[28]
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