Executive branch:
chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December
2004)
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)]; First Party of
Latvia [Ainars SLESERS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or
PCTVL [Jakovs PLINERS]; For Our Latvia or ML [Rihards Jablokovs];
Latvian National Democratic Party or LNDP [Jevgenijs Osiopovs];
Latvian National Front [Aivars GARDA]; Latvian Social-Democratic
Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Alfred RUBIKS]; Latvia's
Way Union or LC; Light of Latgale or LG; New Era Party or JL [Einars
REPSE]; New Politics Party or JP [Sergejs DOLGOPOLOVS]; People's
Harmony Party or TSP [Janis JURKANS]; People's Party or TP [Atis
SLAKTERIS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]; Union
for the Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK or TB/LNNK [Janis STRAUME];
United Social Democratic Welfare Party or SLP [Juris ZURAVLOVS];
United Republican Party of Latvia or LARP
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB)
[Aleksandr KAZAKOV]
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member),
FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NIB, NSG,
OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO,
WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Maris RIEKSTINS
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 Catherine Todd-Bailey
embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510
mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE
09723
telephone: [371] 703-6200
FAX: [371] 782-0047
Flag description:
three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and
maroon
Economy Latvia