Imants Lieģis

Imants Viesturs Lieģis (born 30 April 1955) is a Latvian diplomat and politician. Since 2016, he has served as Latvia's ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to France,^[1] as well as non-resident ambassador to Algeria, Morocco and Monaco.

Imants Lieģis
Minister of Defence
In office 12 March 2009 – 3 November 2010
Prime Minister	Valdis Dombrovskis
Preceded by	Vinets Veldre
Succeeded by	Artis Pabriks
Personal details
Born	(1955-04-30) 30 April 1955 (age 70) Meriden, England, UK
Political party	The Progressives;[citation needed] previously Civic Union
Education	Newcastle University

He served as Latvia's defence minister from 2009 to 2010.^[2] Lieģis was appointed to the defence ministry post in March 2009, as part of the new six-party coalition government headed by Valdis Dombrovskis.^[3] In 2010, he joined the Civic Union party and was elected to the Parliament, he was Chairman of the European Affairs Committee and Chairman of Delegation to the NATO PA until October 2011.^{[citation needed]}

He is a board member of the European Leadership Network.^[4]

A career diplomat, Lieģis served previously as Latvia's ambassador to NATO,^[5] a post to which he was appointed in 1997 while also serving as ambassador to the Benelux countries.^[6] Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain from September 2008 to March 2009. Ambassador to Hungary from 2012 to 2016.^[7]

He was born in the United Kingdom. Trained in law, Lieģis worked as a solicitor in the Supreme Court of England and Wales from 1979 to 1991.^{[citation needed]}

He is a Senior Network Member at the European Leadership Network (ELN).^[8]