Valdis Dombrovskis

Education and science career

Born in Riga to a family with Polish roots (the original Polish surname is Dąbrowski), Dombrovskis earned a bachelor's degree in economics for engineers from Riga Technical University in 1995 and a master's degree in physics from the University of Latvia in 1996. He worked as a laboratory assistant at the Institute of Physics of the University of Mainz in Mainz, Germany, from 1995 to 1996, as an assistant at the University of Latvia's Institute of Solid-State Physics in 1997, and as a PhD student at the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park for electrical engineering in 1998.

Political career

Career in national politics

In 2002, Dombrovskis became a board member of the New Era Party. He was Minister of Finance from 2002 to 2004 and a Member of the Latvian Parliament during its 8th parliamentary term (2002–2004). Then he was Observer at the Council of the European Union (2003–2004).

Member of the European Parliament, 2004–2009

As Member of the European Parliament, Dombrovskis was a member of three European Parliament Committees: Committee on Budgets, Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, Delegation to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly. He is also 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.

Dombrovskis was also 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.

Prime Minister of Latvia, 2009–2014

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

Dombrovskis resigned as prime minister on 27 November 2013 following the Zolitūde shopping centre roof collapse in which 54 people were killed. He announced that a new government is needed with strong support in the parliament after the tragedy, considering all related circumstances. His spokesman said that "the government takes political responsibility for the tragedy". He 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.

Member of the European Commission, 2014–''present''

In February 2014, Dombrovskis officially lodged his application to be the candidate of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) for the presidency of the European Commission; shortly after he withdrew his candidacy to endorse Jean-Claude Juncker instead. The Latvian government later nominated Dombrovskis to be the country's European Commissioner.

Dombrovskis served as European Commission Vice-President for the Euro and Social Dialogue from 2014 to 2019. From July 2016, he was also in charge of the financial services portfolio formerly overseen by British Commissioner Jonathan Hill, who resigned after the Brexit vote. In addition, he has been serving as co-chair of the EPP Economic and Financial Affairs Ministers Meeting – alongside Petteri Orpo (2016-2019) and Paschal Donohoe (since 2019) – which gathers the center-right EPP ministers ahead of meetings of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN).

Following the 2019 European election, Dombrovskis was nominated by the coalition government of Prime Minister Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš for a second term as Latvia's European Commissioner. He subsequently decided to relinquish the seat he won in the election; he was succeeded by Inese Vaidere, also once again in 2024. Ursula von der Leyen has since proposed that Frans Timmermans, Margrethe Vestager and Dombrovskis all serve as Executive Vice-Presidents of the commission with Dombrovskis having responsibility for an "Economy that Works for People". As Vice-Presidents of the commission, Dombrovskis has been a co-chair of the Trade and Technology Council since its creation in 2021.

Supporter of the University of Latvia Foundation

Dombrovskis is a supporter of the University of Latvia Foundation. In 2018, he donated 1,500 euros, awarding 3 one-time Valdis Dombrovskis Excellence Scholarships to Bachelor of Science students of the University of Latvia.

Other activities

• European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Ex-Officio Member of the Board of Governors (since 2019)

Personal life

He is married to Ārija Dombrovska. The two have no children. Dombrovskis plays basketball and goes skiing in his freetime.

References

References

1. (2019-11-20). "Valdis Dombrovskis".
2. "History".
3. (26 February 2009). "Dombrovskis chosen as Latvian PM". BBC News.
4. Rankin, Jennifer. (2016-06-25). "UK's European commissioner quits in wake of Brexit vote".
5. (2020-09-08). "Mairead McGuinness named as Ireland's European commissioner, given 'important financial portfolio'". The Irish Times.
6. Dombrovskis, Valdis. (2014). "Curriculum Vitae".
7. (2017). "The Statesman's Yearbook 2011". [[Palgrave Macmillan]].
8. (2012). "Latvia: Country Study Guide". International Business Publications USA.
9. fr. {{webarchive. link. (17 June 2009)
10. (27 November 2013). "Supermarket Tragedy Leads To Resignation Of Latvian Leader".
11. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25120936 Latvian government falls over Riga supermarket disaster], ''[[BBC News]]'', 27 November 2013.
12. (27 November 2013). "Dombrovskis uzņemas atbildību par traģēdiju Zolitūdē - krīt valdība". delfi.lv.
13. [https://www.politico.eu/article/dombrovskis-seeks-epp-nomination-for-commission-presidency/ Dombrovskis seeks EPP nomination for Commission presidency] ''[[Politico Europe. European Voice]]'', 19 February 2014.
14. Dave Keating (6 March 2014), [https://www.politico.eu/article/dombrovskis-withdraws-from-epp-candidate-race/ Dombrovskis withdraws from EPP candidate race] ''[[Politico Europe. European Voice]]''.
15. Andrew Gardner (5 June 2014), [https://www.politico.eu/article/dombrovskis-gets-latvias-nod/ Dombrovskis gets Latvia's nod] ''[[Politico Europe. European Voice]]''.
16. Jim Brunsden (30 June 2016), [https://www.ft.com/content/7d43ccd8-3de7-11e6-9f2c-36b487ebd80a Brexit gives Valdis Dombrovskis big sway over banks] ''[[Financial Times]]''.
17. [https://www.epp.eu/structure/ministerial-meetings/ Council of the EU and Ministerial meetings] [[European People's Party]] (EPP).
18. Bjarke Smith-Meyer (11 June 2019), [https://www.politico.eu/article/valdis-dombrovskis-brussels-commission-latvia-back-to-commission/ Latvia to send Dombrovskis back to Commission] ''[[Politico Europe]]''.
19. Bjarke Smith-Meyer (20 June 2019), [https://www.politico.eu/article/dombrovskis-gives-up-mep-seat-to-remain-commissioner/ Dombrovskis gives up MEP seat to remain commissioner] ''[[Politico Europe]]''.
20. (2022-01-27). "EU Eyes May In-Person Meeting of U.S. Technology Council". Bloomberg.com.
21. "Valdis Dombrovskis".
22. [http://www.ebrd.com/shareholders-and-board-of-governors.html Board of Governors] [[European Bank for Reconstruction and Development]] (EBRD).
23. Voice, European. (1 April 2009). "Valdis Dombrovskis – The young pretender".