Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Guntis ULMANIS (since 7 July 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Vilis KRISTOPANS (since 21
November 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
appointed by the Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term
(amended from a three-year term on 4 December 1997); election last
held 18 June 1996 (next to be held by NA June/July 1999); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: Guntis ULMANIS elected president in the first
round of balloting; percent of parliamentary vote—Guntis ULMANIS
53%, Ilga KREITUSE 25%
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms—amended from three-year term on 4 December 1997) elections: last held 3 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2002) election results: percent of vote by party—People's Party 21%, LC 18%, TSP 14%, TVB/LNNK 14%, Social Democrats 13%, New Party 8%; seats by party—People's Party 24, LC 21, TSP 16, TVB/LNNK 17, Social Democrats 14, New Party 8
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges' appointments are
confirmed by Parliament
Political parties and leaders: New Party [Raimonds PAULS];
V. IVANOV]; Christian People's Party or KTP (formerly People's Front
ADAMSONS]
International organization participation: BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ojars Eriks KALNINS chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James H. HOLMES embassy: Raina Boulevard 7, LV-1510, Riga mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723
Flag description: three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon
Economy