Political Career
She became Foreign Minister of Latvia in November 2002 and served in this position until in 2004 when she was appointed the first Latvian Commissioner of the European Union in charge of Agriculture and Fisheries.
A big part of the Latvian society was shocked after she was not re-nominated as Latvia's EU Commissioner. Afterwards, Kalniete stepped aside from politics and refused the low-rank diplomatic positions she was offered.
At the beginning of 2006, Kalniete joined the New Era Party. In October 2006, she was elected to the Latvian parliament. She was the candidate of the New Era Party for the post of Latvia's president, before withdrawing in favor of Aivars Endziņš on 24 May 2007.
In 2008, Kalniete announced she was leaving the New Era Party. She joined the newly founded Civic Union and became the party's leader. In the European Parliament election, 2009 she was elected as a Member of the European Parliament.
Read more about this topic: Sandra Kalniete
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