n)
Independence:
6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Constitution:
adopted NA May 1922, considering rewriting constitution
Legal system:
based on civil law system
National holiday:
Independence Day, 18 November (1918)
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Labor Party of Latvia, Juris BOJARS, chairman; Inter-Front of the
Working People of Latvia, Igor LOPATIN, chairman (Inter-Front was banned
after the coup); Latvian National Movement for Independence, Eduards
BERKLAVS, chairman; Latvian Democratic Party, Janis DINEVICS, chairman;
Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party, Uldis BERZINS, chairman; Latvian
People's Front, Uldis AUGST-KALNS, chairman; Latvian Liberal Party, Georg
LANSMANIS, chairman
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Elections:
President:
last held October 1988 (next to be held NA); note - Anatolijs V. GORBUNOVS
elected by Supreme Soviet; elected to restyled post of Chairman of the
Supreme Council on 3 May 1990; new elections have not been scheduled
Supreme Council:
last held 18 March 1990 for the Supreme Soviet (next to be held 5-6 June
1993 for the Saeima); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (234
total) Latvian Communist Party 59, Latvian Democratic Workers Party 31,
Social Democratic Party of Latvia 4, Green Party of Latvia 7, Latvian
Farmers Union 7, Latvian Popular Front 126; note - the Supreme Council is an
interim 201-seats legislative body; a new parliament or Saiema to be elected
in June 1993
Congress of Latvia:
last held April 1990 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by
party NA; seats - (231 total) number of seats by party NA; note - the
Congress of Latvia is a quasi-governmental structure
Executive branch:
Chairman of Supreme Council (president), prime minister, cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral Supreme Council

*Latvia, Government

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State:
Chairman Supreme Council Anatolijs V. GORBUNOVS (since NA October 1988)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Ivars GODMANIS (since NA May 1990)
Member of:
CBSS, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, ILO, IMF, IOM (observer), ITU,
NACC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Ojars KALNINS
chancery:
4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone:
(202) 726-8213 and 8214
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission