RIGA, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Latvia's opposition centrist Union of Greens and Farmers have picked their candidate for this year's presidential election, the political alliance's chairman Armands Krauze announced on Wednesday.
Speaking on behalf of his Latvian Farmers' Union, the politician said his party would nominate Ombudsman Juris Jansons for the presidency and that Jansons has already accepted the nomination.
Although the Green Party, which is the other partner in the Union of Greens and Farmers, is yet to formally announce its decision, Jansons is already seen as the candidate of the whole alliance, which used to lead Latvia's previous government coalition but ended up in opposition after last election.
The announcement comes a day after Latvia's incumbent President Raimonds Vejonis, whom the Green Party had endorsed for reelection, said he would not seek a second term.
Latvia's current center-right government coalition, meanwhile, is set to nominate European Court of Justice judge Egils Levits for Latvia's next president.
In Latvia's last presidential election, which took place in June 2015, Vejonis beat rival contender Levits, but this time Levits' chances of getting elected look much better as he has already secured at least 55 votes in Latvia's 100-seat parliament.
The parliament is due to hold the presidential election at the end of May or early June.
