Latvia's "Iron Lady" remains one of the country's most popular politicians.

RIGA — Former Latvian President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga is joining the race to become president of the European Union.

This was confirmed Wednesday first by by Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis’ EU affairs adviser Elīna Melngaile and then by Dombrovskis himself in an interview to Latvijas Radio.

Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis spoke with Vīķe-Freiberga on Wednesday by telephone, and the head of government agreed to support the former president’s candidacy. “The prime minister believes that Vike-Freiberga has experience in international diplomacy, she is held in high esteem in the EU and is well-suited for the post of EU president,” Līga Krapāne, spokeswoman for the prime minister, told the press.

Earlier this week Vīķe-Freiberga’s secretary Daina Lasmane revealed that the former Latvian president has been informally encouraged by many persons in different EU countries. Also Foreign Minister Māris Riekstiņš admitted that Latvia could nominate its own candidate, though he added that it is of little use to discuss candidates before Lisbon treaty is in force.

The new post of EU president is to be created under the Lisbon Treaty, assuming it is ratified by the Czech Republic. The EU president will be elected to a two-and-a-half year term, with the possibility to run for another term.

Vīķe-Freiberga was the Latvian president from 1999 to 2007. She is fluent in five languages — Latvian, English, French, German and Spanish.

This will not be the first high-level international position Vīķe-Freiberga has attempted. In 2006 she tried to be elected United Nations General Secretary but lost after Russian indicated it would veto her appointment.

She will likely face a tough race for this out, too.

— Baltic Reports reporter James Dahl contributed to this article.