RIGA: Nauris Puntulis (National Alliance) has returned to office as Minister of Culture, following a parliamentary vote on 28 May 2026 leading to a new government cabinet led by PM Andris Kulbergs (United List).
The previous Siliņa government collapsed after the Progressives party withdrew its support in mid-May 2026. With the Progressives now in opposition, their minister of culture Agnese Lāce, who had held the post since June 2024, also stepped down.
Puntulis served as Minister of Culture from July 2019 to September 2023 across two terms in the PM Kariņš cabinets.
A former singer of the rock band Pērkons, Puntulis later became a soloist at the Latvian National Opera and holds a master’s degree in singing and teaching from the Latvian Academy of Music.
The new coalition government is expected to serve until parliamentary elections in October 2026.
