Raimonds Vējonis (born 15 June 1966) is a Latvian politician who served as the ninth President of Latvia from 2015 to 2019. He is affiliated with the Green Party, which is a component of the Union of Greens and Farmers. During his public career he moved from environmental and regional work into senior national offices and the presidency. For a concise overview see the official profile.

Early career and background

Before reaching national prominence, Vējonis worked in areas connected with environmental protection and regional administration. His professional background combined public service in environmental institutions with involvement in politics at regional level. That trajectory helped shape his later policy interests, linking ecological concerns with public administration and local development.

Political offices and roles

Vējonis has held several prominent government posts prior to his election as president. His ministerial experience included overseeing environmental and regional matters and, later, defence responsibilities at the national level. These roles gave him practical experience in both domestic administration and security policy, which informed his tenure as head of state.

Presidency: priorities and approach

As president he emphasized a combination of environmental awareness, civic governance and national security. He supported Latvia's participation in European and transatlantic institutions and often spoke about bolstering resilience and preparedness. His presidency featured efforts to balance ecological issues with wider policy concerns such as defence and regional cohesion.

Notable facts and legacy

  • Served as President of Latvia from 2015 until 2019.
  • Member of the Green Party, part of the Union of Greens and Farmers.
  • Previously held ministerial posts with responsibilities for environmental and defence matters.
  • Succeeded Andris Bērziņš as president and was followed in office by Egils Levits.

Vējonis is often described as a politician who brought environmental experience into mainstream national politics while also engaging with Latvia's security and international commitments. His career illustrates a pathway from specialist public administration into the highest ceremonial and representative office of the state.