Independence:
21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is
the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 21 August 1991 is the
date of independence from the Soviet Union
Constitution:
the 1991 Constitutional Law, which supplements the 1922
constitution, provides for basic rights and freedoms
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 Einars REPSE (since 7 November
2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
appointed by the Parliament
elections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term;
election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held by June 2007);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president;
parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by
direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 5 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - New Era 23.9%, PCTVL
18.9%, People's Party 16.7%, ZZS 9.5%, First Party 7.6%, LNNK 5.4%;
seats by party - New Era 26, PCTVL 24, People's Party 21, ZZS 12,
First Party 10, LNNK 7
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance of the Greens and Farmers Union or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS
(Farmer's Union); Indulis EMSIS (Green Party)]; CENTER Political
Alliance [Juris CELMINS]; First Party of Latvia [Eriks JEKABSONS];
For Fatherland and Freedom or LNNK [Maris GRINBLATS]; For Human
Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Janis JURKANS], a coalition of
the People's Harmony Party or TSP, the Latvian Socialist Party or
LSP, and the Equal Rights Movement; Freedom Party [Ziedonis CEVERS];
Land of Mara [Irena SAPROVSKA]; Latvian Rebirth Party [Andris
RUBINS]; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats)
or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvia's Way Union or LC [Janis NAGLIS];
Light of Latgale or LG [Rihards EIGIMS]; New Era Party [Einars
REPSE]; Our Land Party [Ilmars ANCANS]; Party of Latvians [Aivars
GARDA]; People's Party [Andris SKELE]; Progressive Center Party
[Inta STAMGUTE]; Russian Party [Mihails GAVRILOVS]; Social
Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]; Social Democratic Welfare
Party or SLP [Juris ZURAVLOVS]; United Republican Party of Latvia or
LARP [Eriks Andrejs SAULUNS, Janis PUKIS, Sarmite JEGERE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA