pendence 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 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