Anatolijs Gorbunovs

Anatolijs Gorbunovs (b. February 10, 1942 in Pilda village, Riga County, Latvia) is a prominent Latvian politician.

From 1974 to 1988, he held various positions in the Communist Party of the Latvian SSR, with his highest position being the secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Latvian SSR. Unlike most of Communist Party in Latvia, Gorbunovs supported Latvian independence movement. From 1988 to 1995, he was the speaker of the Latvian parliament (first, of the Supreme Soviet of Latvian SSR, then, of Saeima, the parliament of the newly independent Latvia). During this period, Latvian independence was restored in 1990. As the speaker of the parliament, Gorbunovs assumed presidential duties. Although he was never elected to the office, he acted as president until 1993, when Guntis Ulmanis was elected to the post.

Gorbunovs joined the Latvian Way party in 1993 and remained the speaker of Saeima until 1995 and a member of parliament until 2002. Between 1995 and 2002, he served as the minister of regional development, the minister of transportation and the deputy prime minister.

¹ - Prior to Soviet occupation in 1940, Kārlis Ulmanis was president.