Guntis Ulmanis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Guntis Ulmanis
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Ulmanis in 2010
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| 5th President of Latvia | |
| In office 7 July 1993 – 7 July 1999 |
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| Prime Minister | Ivars Godmanis Valdis Birkavs Māris Gailis Andris Šķēle Guntars Krasts Vilis Krištopāns |
| Preceded by | Kārlis Ulmanis |
| Succeeded by | Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 September 1939 Riga, Latvia |
| Political party | Latvian Farmers' Union |
| Spouse | Aina Ulmane |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Latvia |
| Signature |  |
Guntis Ulmanis, born on September 13, 1939, is a Latvian politician. He served as the fifth President of Latvia from 1993 to 1999.
Contents
About Guntis Ulmanis
Early Life and Family
Guntis Ulmanis was born in Riga, Latvia. His great-uncle, Kārlis Ulmanis, was a very important Latvian politician between the two World Wars. Kārlis Ulmanis became a powerful leader and later the president of Latvia.
In 1941, after the Soviet Union took control of Latvia, Guntis Ulmanis and his family were forced to move far away from their home. They were sent to Siberia, a cold region in Russia.
In 1946, his family returned to Latvia. However, they were not allowed to live in Riga. So, they settled in a place called Ēdole in the Kuldīga area.
In 1949, other members of the Ulmanis family were supposed to be forced to move again. But Guntis Ulmanis avoided this because his mother remarried. His last name was changed to Rumpītis. When he received his first passport in 1955, he chose to use his original birth name, Ulmanis.
Later, his family moved to Jūrmala, where he went to school. After finishing school, he studied economics at the University of Latvia.
Career Before Presidency
After finishing his studies at the University of Latvia in 1963, Guntis Ulmanis joined the Soviet army for two years. In 1965, he became a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
He started his career as an economist at a construction site. Later, he became a manager for the tram and trolleybus system in Riga. He was then promoted to a higher position in the Riga city government.
However, his family connection to former President Kārlis Ulmanis was discovered. Because of this, he lost his job in 1971. After that, he worked in lower positions within the Riga city services. He also taught about construction economics and economic planning at universities.
In 1989, during a time of big changes in Latvia called the Singing Revolution, Guntis Rumpītis left the Communist Party. He also started using his original last name, Ulmanis, again. In 1992, he became a member of the Council of the National Bank of Latvia.
That same year, he joined the Latvian Farmers' Union, which was the same political party his great-uncle belonged to. In 1993, Latvia held its first elections for its parliament, the Saeima, in 62 years. Guntis Ulmanis was elected as the fifth President of Latvia. He was the first president since Latvia fully regained its independence in 1991.
Time as President
As President, Guntis Ulmanis focused on building relationships with other countries and international groups. A big success was signing an agreement with Russia for the Russian Armed Forces to leave Latvia.
During his time as president, Latvia joined the Council of Europe. It also applied to become a member of the European Union. He stopped the use of the death penalty in Latvia, following rules from the European Council.
In 1996, he was re-elected as president. He won in the first round of voting.
In 1998, President Ulmanis strongly supported changes to the Citizenship law. These changes would make it easier for people born after August 21, 1991, to become citizens. They would also remove limits on how many non-citizens could become citizens each year. However, some members of parliament who disagreed with the changes asked for a public vote (referendum). President Ulmanis then actively encouraged people to vote for the changes, and they were approved.
After Presidency
Guntis Ulmanis's term as president ended in 1999. He was followed by Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga. He stepped away from politics for a while. He became involved in social activities, like starting the Guntis Ulmanis Fund. He also helped organize the 2006 IIHF World Championship in Riga.
In 2010, Guntis Ulmanis returned to politics. He became the leader of a new group of political parties called For a Good Latvia. This group won eight seats in the parliamentary election that year. Ulmanis became a member of the Saeima (parliament).
In 2011, he announced that he would not run for another term as a deputy. He stopped being a member of parliament in November 2011.
Personal Life
Guntis Ulmanis married Aina Štelce in 1962. They have two children, Guntra (born 1963) and Alvils (born 1966). They also have three grandchildren.
In his free time, Ulmanis enjoys reading history books and memoirs. He also likes playing tennis, basketball, and volleyball. He often spends his summers at his home in Smārde Parish.
He has written two books about his life: No tevis jau neprasa daudz (which means Not much is required from you yet) published in 1995, and Mans prezidenta laiks (meaning My time as President) published in 1999.
He is a member of an international group that advises the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation.
On September 21, 2015, he became the head of the hockey club Dinamo Riga.
Awards and Honours
Guntis Ulmanis has received many awards from Latvia and other countries.
Latvian Honours
Latvia:
Commander Grand Cross with Chain of the Order of the Three Stars
Foreign Honours
Denmark:
Knight of the Order of the Elephant (March 18, 1997)
Estonia:
Collar of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana (October 23, 1996)
Germany:
Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Iceland:
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon (June 8, 1998)
Norway:
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav
Poland:
See also
In Spanish: Guntis Ulmanis para niños
