Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
Executive branch: chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Andris BERZINS (since 5 May 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 17 June 1999 (next to be held by June 2003); prime minister appointed by the president election results: of balloting, second round (after five rounds in first phase failed to produce a clear winner); percent of parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 53%, Valdis BIRKAVS 20%, Ingrida UDRE 9%
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) 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%, TB/LNNK 14%, Social Democrats 13%, New Party 7%; seats by party - People's Party 24, LC 21, TB/LNNK 17, TSP 16, Social Democrats 14, New Party 8
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)
Political parties and leaders: Anticommunist Union or PA [P. MUCENIEKS];
Christian Democrat Union or LKDS [Talavs JUNDZIS]; Christian People's
Party or KTP [Uldis AUGSTKALNS]; Democratic Party "Saimnieks" or DPS
[Ziedonis CEVERS, chairman]; For Fatherland and Freedom or TB [Maris
GRINBLATS], merged with LNNK; For Human Rights in a United Latvia [Janis
JURKANS], a coalition of the People's Harmony Party or TSP, the Latvian
Socialist Party or LSP, and the Equal Rights Movement; Green Party or LZP
[Olegs BATAREVSKI]; Latvian Liberal Party or LLP [J. DANOSS]; Latvian
National Conservative Party or LNNK [Andrejs KRASTINS]; Latvian National
Democratic Party or LNDP [A. MALINS]; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers
Party (Social Democrats) or LSDWU [Juris BOJARS and Janis ADAMSONS];
Latvian Unity Party or LVP [Alberis KAULS]; Latvia's Way or LC [Andrei
PANTELEJEVS]; New Christian Party [Ainars SLESERS]; New Faction [Ingrida
UDRE]; New Party [leader NA]; New Times Party [Einars REPSE]; "Our Land"
or MZ [M. DAMBEKALNE]; Party of Russian Citizens or LKPP [V. SOROCHIN, V.
IVANOV]; People's Party [Andris SKELE]; Political Union of Economists
or TPA [Edvins KIDE]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC,
EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WEU
(associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aivis RONIS FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785 telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214 chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Brian
E. CARLSON embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510 mailing address:
American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723 telephone: [371]
721-0005 FAX: [371] 782-0047