Latvian parliament elects former judge Levits president

RIGA (Reuters) – Latvia’s parliament elected former European Court of Justice judge Egils Levits as the Baltic country’s next president on Wednesday, a largely ceremonial role that also brings with it limited political powers.

Levits won the support of 61 lawmakers in the 100-seated parliament. He will serve four years starting on July 8, when incumbent president Raimonds Vejonis’ term comes to an end.

The president of Latvia has mostly ceremonial functions but can propose new bills and nominate candidates for prime minister. The president is appointed through the parliament votes rather than popular elections.

(Reporting by Gederts Gelzis, writing by Johan Ahlander; editing by Niklas Pollard)