Andris Å Ä·Ä“le

Andris Šķēle [ andris ʃce ː le] ( born January 16, 1958 in Ape ) is a Latvian politician and entrepreneur.

Šķēle studied at the Latvian Academy of Agriculture. After Latvia's independence in 1990, he worked in the state administration and led briefly the business of the Minister of Agriculture. From 1993 he devoted himself to his business. On September 21, 1995 Šķēle was elected prime minister of his country without belonging to a party. In two different cabinets he practiced this activity until 7 August 1997. He then founded the Tautas Partija ( People's Party), which at first was strongest in the parliamentary elections to the 7th Saeima. On 16 July 1999 Šķēle again took over the post of prime minister. After the government resignation on May 5, 2000, he remained until 2003 deputy. He then resigned and officially retired from politics, but was still the most influential member of the People's Party.

Andris Šķēle is one of the wealthiest people in Latvia. His fortune he acquired mainly in the course of privatization in Latvia, was estimated from the Baltic Times newspaper on 60 million euros, which brought him in their list of the richest Baltic to 15th place. Šķēle was involved in several criminal trials, but even without being charged or convicted.

2009 Šķēle returned as chairman of Tautas partija and leading candidate for the 2010 elections once again back into politics. After regular election results and resolution of Tautas ran Šķēle no longer partija for the 2011 election.

Private life

Šķēle is married to his second wife, the former Member Kristiana Lībane - Šķēle. It is registered as well as the two daughters from his first marriage as ownership stakes in the company Šķēļes and on the lists of the Latvian millionaires.