Is it not treatable? Abu Meri decided to leave 'Unity'

"At this moment, I cannot give the party what it needs at this stage of change," said Abu Meri, noting that with this decision he is concluding one phase of his political career. As Abu Meri pointed out, the decision to leave the party he had been a part of for 16 years was not easy, but well thought out. After the election results were announced, Abu Meri felt it necessary to take political responsibility and left the position of chairman of the 'Unity' party. "Since that moment, I have thought a lot and concluded that sometimes the most responsible decision is to recognize that it is time for a new path," the Minister of Health stated. In his opinion, 'Unity' needs a restart, an influx of new energy and new people who will continue what has been started. To regain the trust of society, it is necessary to speak clearly and prove through specific actions that "the most important thing remains unchanged, and that is a strong and safe Latvia in a strong Europe," the politician noted. As reported, in early October, Abu Meri decided to resign as chairman of the 'Unity' party, taking on part of the responsibility for the results of 'New Unity' in the elections. "The election results require not only assessment but also responsible decisions," emphasized Abu Meri, adding that it was time for him to "step away from active involvement in the party." Abu Meri was appointed Minister of Health in the government of Evika Silina ('New Unity') on September 15, 2023. After Silina's resignation, he continued to serve as minister in the government of Andris Kulbergs ('United List'), which was approved by the Saeima on May 28, 2026. He had held the position of chairman of the 'Unity' party since 2019. Previously, Abu Meri was a deputy in the 12th and 14th Saeimas, the chairman of the 'Unity' faction in the Saeima, the parliamentary secretary of the Ministry of Welfare, and an advisor to the Prime Minister on integration issues. As reported, following the elections to the 15th Saeima, Abu Meri became the most rejected candidate on the 'New Unity' list, receiving 3,369 negative votes. He was followed by Evika Silina and Arvils Ašeradens, who received 3,193 and 2,852 'against' marks, respectively. The current Minister of Transport in the government, Rihards Kozlovskis, also did not receive sufficient support from voters. The current Deputy Speaker of the Saeima, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, also did not enter the 15th Saeima.