Ainārs Šlesers

Ainārs Šlesers
Šlesers in 2022
Minister of Transport
In office
7 November 2006  12 March 2009
Prime MinisterAigars Kalvītis
Ivars Godmanis
Preceded byKrišjānis Peters
Succeeded byKaspars Gerhards
In office
9 March 2004  17 March 2006
Prime MinisterIndulis Emsis
Aigars Kalvītis
Preceded byRoberts Zīle
Succeeded byKrišjānis Peters
Minister for the Economy of Latvia
In office
26 November 1998  10 May 1999
Prime MinisterVilis Krištopans
Preceded byLaimonis Strujevičs
Succeeded byIngrīda Ūdre
Member of the Saeima
In office
1 November 2022  10 June 2025
In office
2 November 2010  17 October 2011
In office
2 November 1998  16 July 2009
Personal details
Born
Ainārs Leščinskis

(1970-01-22) 22 January 1970
Riga, Latvian SSR
Political partyLatvia First (2021–present)
Other political
affiliations
New Party (1998–2002)
Latvia's First Party (2002–2007)
Latvia's First Party/Latvian Way (2007–2011)
United for Latvia (2013–2016)
Spouse
(m. 1992)
Children5, including Ričards

Ainārs Šlesers (born 22 January 1970) is a Latvian business oligarch and politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of Latvia, as well as Deputy Mayor of Riga. Currently he is a member of the Latvian Parliament and head of political party Latvia First. He is noted for his similarity to US President Donald Trump.

His family business is closely related to the real estate and logistics sectors in Latvia. Riga Waterfront is a 3bn EUR project launched together with founder of Emaar Properties, Mohammed Alabbar, while Riga Port Group is the largest port company in Latvia, having the most modern coal and fertilizer terminals in Northern Europe, as well as offering stevedoring, container and railway services in the Baltics.