Saeima

The Saeima is the parliament of the Republic of Latvia. It has 100 members who are chosen in elections every four years. These members come from different political parties that must get at least 5% of the votes from people.

Elections for the Saeima are usually held on the first Saturday in October. The most recent elections took place in October 2022. The President of Latvia has the power to end the Saeima early, but this is a big decision that can even lead to the president leaving office. This happened in 2011 when President Valdis Zatlers asked to dissolve the Saeima, and people voted to agree to it.

Today, the leader of the Saeima is Daiga Mieriņa from the Union of Greens and Farmers. The rules that guide how the Saeima works are written in a book called the Rules of Order of Saeima, which was first made in 1923 and changed later in 1929 and 1994.

History and etymology

The Saeima, Latvia's parliament, has roots in old meeting systems from places like Poland and Lithuania. The word "sejm" comes from a Slavic word meaning "to get together." In the 1800s, a Latvian named Juris Alunāns said the word "saeima" was a Latvian invention meaning "a gathering" or "a meeting."

In the years before World War II, the Saeima was elected every three years. The first Saeima met from November 7, 1922, to November 2, 1925. The second met from November 3, 1925, to November 5, 1928. The third met from November 6, 1928, to November 2, 1931. And the fourth met from November 3, 1931, until May 15, 1934.

Elections

The Saeima is made up of members who are chosen by voters. People in Latvia who are 18 or older can vote. To run for the Saeima, someone must be at least 21 years old and meet some other rules.

The Saeima serves for four years, but sometimes elections can happen earlier. If the President wants to end the Saeima early, people in Latvia must vote to agree to it. If they don’t agree, the President leaves office. Also, if enough people sign a petition, an early election can happen without the President’s help.

There are five areas in Latvia where people vote: Kurzeme, Latgale, Riga, Vidzeme, and Zemgale. People living outside Latvia also vote in the Riga area.

Seats in the Saeima are given to parties that get more than 5% of the votes. People vote for a party, and they can also show they like or don’t like certain candidates on the party’s list. The candidates with the most votes get to be in the Saeima.

Usually, no single party gets more than 30% of the votes, so many parties work together to make decisions. If a seat becomes empty during the four years, the next person on the party’s list takes the place. The Communist Party of Latvia is not allowed to take part in elections.

Most recent election

Main article: 2022 Latvian parliamentary election

Structure of former legislatures

5th Saeima

6th Saeima

7th Saeima

8th Saeima

9th Saeima

10th Saeima

11th Saeima

12th Saeima

13th Saeima

14th Saeima