Krišjānis Kariņš
A Latvian-American linguist turned statesman who returned to his ancestral homeland to steer it through crisis as Prime Minister.
Born 1964 (age 62)·Prime Minister of Latvia from 2019 to 2023·Birthday: December 13·Baby Boomers
Biography
Krišjānis Kariņš's story is one of transatlantic destiny. Born in Delaware to Latvian parents who fled Soviet occupation, he grew up steeped in the language and culture of a homeland he had never seen. He built a successful business in the United States, but the restoration of Latvian independence pulled him east. Moving to Latvia in the late 1990s, he leveraged his bilingual skills and economic acumen, first as a businessman, then as a Member of the European Parliament. In 2019, he was tapped to form a government, becoming Prime Minister of a fractious coalition. His tenure was defined by navigating the COVID-19 pandemic and, pivotally, rallying Latvia's response to the war in Ukraine, solidifying its Western alignment with steady, pragmatic leadership.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Krišjānis was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Krišjānis Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Krišjānis's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the Prime Minister of Latvia from 2019 to 2023, leading a multi-party coalition government.
- Previously served as Latvia's Minister for Economics and as a Member of the European Parliament.
- Co-founded and led a frozen vegetable processing company in Latvia after moving from the United States.
Did You Know?
He holds both Latvian and American citizenship.
He holds a PhD in linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania, focusing on Latvian and Lithuanian verb morphology.
He was a board member of the American Latvian Association before moving to Latvia.
““The strength of Latvia is in its people, and the strength of the people is in their unity.””
