Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš

Who is Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš?

Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš is a Latvian politician.

Kariņš was born in Wilmington, Delaware, United States in a Latvian American family. In 1996, he finished a Ph.D. in linguistics from University of Pennsylvania. Soon after, he moved to Latvia, where he founded a company Lāču ledus, a producer and distributor of ice and frozen foods.

He was one of founders of New Era Party in 2001, was elected to Saeima, the Latvian parliament in 2002 and reelected in 2006. Kariņš served as the chairman of the parliamentary faction of New Era Party from 2002 to 2004 and the Minister of Economy in Aigars Kalvitis government from December 2004 to April 2006. In March 2007, he became one of two co-leaders of New Era Party.

Since July 2009 he is serving as 1 of the 8 Latvian MEPs in the European parliament. He is a member of the Reconciliation of European Histories Group.