Krisjanis Karins, leader of Latvian center-right New Unity party, told reporters on Friday that he was determined to strike a deal on a coalition government within the next two weeks, although President Raimonds Vejonis has yet to formally designate him as prime minister.

After a meeting with representatives of five potential coalition partners on Friday, Vejonis said he would not designate the next candidate for prime minister yet and would meet with Karins next Monday.

The president expects Karins to told him the composition and working plan of the new government.

Negotiations among political parties on Latvia's next coalition government have been dragging on since early October.

While four parties, including New Unity, the New Conservative Party, the liberal alliance For Development/For and the right-wing National Alliance, have agreed on forming the core of the new coalition, KPV LV party's participation in the coalition still remains to be a question.

KPV LV is needed as the fifth coalition partner to ensure parliamentary majority.

On Thursday, KPV LV set a number of conditions on which it would agree to join the Karins-led cabinet. The four other parties appeared willing to accept these conditions.

However, one of KPV LV leaders Aldis Gobzems waned on Friday that he could not guarantee that the whole KPV LV faction in parliament would necessarily back the Karins-led government.