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 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
(no term limits); election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held
by July 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
proportional representation from party lists across five districts
through direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 October 2006 (next to be held October 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - TP 19.5%, ZZS 16.7%, JL
16.4%, SC 14.4%; LPP/LC 8.6%; TB/LNNK 7%; PCTVL 6%; seats by party -
TP 23, ZZS 18, JL 18, SC 17, LPP/LC 10, TB/LNNK 8, PCTVL 6
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament);
Constitutional Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by
Parliament)
Political parties and leaders:
First Party of Latvia or LPP [Ainars SLESERS]; For Human Rights in
a United Latvia or PCTVL [Jakovs PLINERS]; For the Fatherland and
Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement or TB/LNNK [Roberts
ZILE, Maris GRINBLATS]; Harmony Center or SC [Janis URBANOVICS, Nils
USAKOVS]; Latvian Farmer's Union or LZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS]; Latvian
Social Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris
BOJARS]; Latvian Socialist Party or LSP [Alfreds RUBIKS]; Latvia's
Way or LC [Ivars GODMANIS, Ainars BERZINS]; New Democrats or JD
[Maris GULBIS]; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE, Krisjanis
KARINS]; People's Party or TP [Aigars KALVITIS]; The Union of
Latvian Greens and Farmers Party or ZZS [Indulis EMSIS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB)
[Aleksandr KAZAKOV]
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO,
NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Maris SELGA
chancery: 2306 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 328-2840
FAX: [1] (202) 328-2860
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