Long-serving foreign minister Rinkēvičs elected president of Latvia

Latvia's parliament elected Edgars Rinkēvičs as the country's next president on Wednesday in the third round of voting, after the original three candidates failed to achieved an absolute majority.

Rinkēvičs, 49, who had been serving as foreign minister since 2011, received 52 out of 87 votes cast.

He is due take office in the Baltic republic of 1.9 million inhabitants in July, replacing Egils Levits, 67, who did not run for a second term.

"I will do everything to ensure that our country prospers, that it is secure and that our society coheres more strongly," Rinkēvičs said following his election.

During a press conference he made clear that the country would continue to pursue a Western path and engage actively in the European Union and in the NATO alliance. This included support for Ukraine and a firm policy in the face of Russian aggression, he said.

"No surprises, no changes, only continuity," he pledged.

Rinkēvičs has been Latvian foreign minister since 2011, serving in the post longer than anyone before him. In the role, he has represented the interests of a country on NATO's eastern flank that is highly exposed to Russia and shares a border with Belarus as well.

He also drew attention by coming out publicly as homosexual in 2014, becoming the first leading politician in Eastern Europe to do so.

Ahead of the vote, Rinkēvičs was seen as the leading candidate, although his election was by no means secure, as the ruling three-way coalition was divided on the issue.

His successor as foreign minister has yet to be decided. Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins said that he would conduct talks within the coalition soon.

"I'm losing an excellent foreign minister, but we are gaining an excellent state president," he said, adding that Latvia would be in secure hands for the four years ahead.

The Latvian president's office includes being commander-in-chief of the military as well as the role as head of state.