RIGA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Two months after Latvia's parliamentary election and two unsuccessful attempts to form a new coalition government, President Raimonds Vejonis on Tuesday met with all political parties represented in the parliament to sort out the situation and seek a way out of the political deadlock, local media reported.

After the Oct. 6 election, which produced a highly fragmented parliament of seven factions, political parties nominated three leading candidates for Latvia's next prime minister -- Janis Bordans of the New Conservative Party, Aldis Gobzems of KPV LV party and Artis Pabriks of the liberal alliance For Development/For.

Since the successive attempts by Bordans and Gobzems to form a cabinet failed, the president was widely expected to designate Pabriks as the next candidate tasked with forming the government.

However, Pabriks withdrew his candidacy on Tuesday and his For Development/For alliance said they no longer insisted on his nomination. Instead, the alliance's representatives suggested they would support Krisjanis Karins of the center-right New Unity party for the premiership role.

Ainars Latkovskis, chairman of the New Unity faction in parliament, said he was very surprised about the idea as nobody had approached the party with such a proposal before.

In Latkovskis' opinion, For Development/For still should try to form a government because for, as a small parliamentary faction, it would be difficult for New Unity to maintain the necessary discipline within a larger coalition. However, if other parties agreed on New Unity's candidate as a comprise figure to end the impasse, New Unity would be ready to lead the government.

Representatives of the right-wing National Alliance and the New Conservative Party hinted they too might back Karins' nomination as a comprise candidate.

Vejonis is expected to name the next prime minister designate within the next few days. Enditem

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