[2] Andris Bērziņš was born 10 December 1944 in Nītaure, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union.

He then began studying at the Riga Polytechnical Institute,[3] which he graduated in 1971, and became a radio engineer at the "Elektrons" factory.

Bērziņš worked as an advisor to the president of the SEB Bank Latvian branch and was a board member of several joint-stock companies, including Valmieras stikla šķiedra and Lode Brickworks.

Andris Bērziņš returned to politics in 2005 when he unsuccessfully ran for the office of Mayor of Riga as the leader of the Union of Greens and Farmers party list.

In 2010 Andris Bērziņš was elected deputy of the Saeima from the slate of candidates presented by the Union of Greens and Farmers.

[15] Andris Bērziņš married Dace Seisuma a couple of days before assuming office as president.

[20] On 3 September 2012, Bērziņš threatened TV news crew which was filming him coming alongside his son on the first day of the school year: "Guys, you want me to beat you over the head?