20 Facts About Valdis Dombrovskis

Valdis Dombrovskis was born on 5 August 1971 and is a Latvian politician serving as Executive Vice President of the European Commission for An Economy that Works for People since 2019 and European Commissioner for Trade since 2020.

Valdis Dombrovskis previously served as European Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union from 2016 to 2020 and Prime Minister of Latvia from 2009 to 2014.

Valdis Dombrovskis then served as a Member of the European Parliament for the New Era Party from 2004 to 2009.

Valdis Dombrovskis became the Prime Minister of Latvia 2009, serving until his resignation in 2014.

Valdis Dombrovskis was Vice-President of the European Commission for the Euro and Social Dialogue from 2014 to 2019.

In 2002, Valdis Dombrovskis became a board member of the New Era Party.

Valdis Dombrovskis was Minister of Finance from 2002 to 2004 and a Member of the Latvian Parliament during its 8th parliamentary term.

Valdis Dombrovskis is a Substitute at Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, Committee on Budgetary Control and delegation to the EU-Kazakhstan, EU-Kyrgyzstan, and EU-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Cooperation Committees, and for relations with Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Mongolia.

Valdis Dombrovskis was one of six Members of the European Parliament participating in the European Union's observer mission in Togo for the October 2007 Togolese parliamentary election.

On 26 February 2009, following the resignation of Ivars Godmanis, President Valdis Zatlers nominated Dombrovskis to succeed Godmanis as Prime Minister.

Valdis Dombrovskis resigned as Prime Minister on 27 November 2013 following the Zolitude shopping centre roof collapse in which 54 people were killed.

Valdis Dombrovskis announced that a new government is needed with strong support in the parliament after the tragedy, considering all related circumstances.

Valdis Dombrovskis's spokesman said that "the government takes political responsibility for the tragedy".

Valdis Dombrovskis denied the president had urged him to step down, stating that he had considered the decision for days and that the country needs government with strong support in parliament in the moment of crisis.

In February 2014, Valdis Dombrovskis officially lodged his application to be the candidate of the centre-right European People's Party for the presidency of the European Commission; shortly after he withdrew his candidacy to endorse Jean-Claude Juncker instead.

The Latvian government later nominated Valdis Dombrovskis to be the country's European Commissioner.

Valdis Dombrovskis served as European Commission Vice-President for the Euro and Social Dialogue from 2014 to 2019.

Valdis Dombrovskis subsequently decided to relinquish the seat he won in the election; he was succeeded by Inese Vaidere.

Ursula von der Leyen has since proposed that Frans Timmermans, Margrethe Vestager and Valdis Dombrovskis all serve as Executive Vice-Presidents of the commission with Valdis Dombrovskis having responsibility for an "Economy that Works for People".

Valdis Dombrovskis is a supporter of the University of Latvia Foundation.