The Saeima is the Parlement Unicaméral of Latvia.

Operation and composition

It includes/understands 100 Député S. It is elected with the Proportionnelle with seats allotted to the parties which obtained at least 5% of the votes. The elections take place every four years, first Saturday of October. The elections take place usually in October every 4 years. Since the declaration of independence of 1991 and the creation of the second republic, there were 4 votes (1993, 1995,1998 and 2002). The frequency was adopted only in 1998.

The president of the Latvia can dissolve Saiema and require anticipated elections. This dissolution forever be necessary.

All the Latvian citizens (without glance on nationality) who reached 18 years can vote. The elections take place in the 5 electoral constituencies: Rīga, Vidzeme, Latgale, Zemgale and Kurzeme. They are also held in the foreign countries where live a substantial number Latvian citizens (counted in that of Rīga).

The polling stations are open of 8 to 22:00

Any party, legally recorded, can stand as a candidate. Any Latvian citizen of more than 21 years can present himself.

The Central electoral commission determined the number of deputies of each district as follows (VIIIe legislature):

• 28 seats for Rīga;
• 26 seats for the Vidzeme;
• 17 seats for the Latgale;
• 15 seats for the Zemgale;
• 14 seats for the Kurzeme (Courlande).

For XIXe, a seat was withdrawn in Latgale (South-eastern) and was added in Rīga

• Rīga: 29
• Vidzeme : 26
• Latgale : 16
• Zemgales: 15
• Kurzemes: 14

It is in addition interesting to note that the Parliament undergoes an serious attack of confidence on behalf of the population. A survey of September 2006 shows that 66% of the population do not believe in Saeima.

History

The council of the people (Tautas padome) of 1918 to 1920

The November 17th 1918, a council is formed by 40 people representing the various parties of the country as well as the capacities of the Latgale. It is a kind of constituent pre assembly which as of the following day will proclaim the independence of the country. The situation of the country did not allow really elections this moment.

The 40 starting seats are quickly changed to 183 but the historians agree to say that it were more than 245 to sit during the 57 meetings. There were 22 committees.

This council creates a framework which will allow the elections and sets up a school system, monetarist and legislates on the citizenship.

It is dissolved the April 30th 1920 to make place at the constituent assembly.

The constituent assembly (Satversmes sapulce) of 1920 to 1922

She seizes her powers on May 1st 1920 and is the result of the elections of the previous April 17th and 18th. Rate of participation had been of 84.9% and out of the 57 lists, 16 were represented for a total of 150 representatives including 5 women.

This assembly establishes the bases of the state (satversme) as well as a law on the land reform and the constitution of a Parliament. It is a total of 205 laws and 297 regulations having the force of laws which were snuff at the 213 plenary sessions who took place themselves until November 7th, 1922.

The president was Jānis Čakste which also had was that of council of the people

First Saeima (Pirmā saeima) of 1922 to 1925

The legislative work started by the constituent assembly was continued by the first saeima.

According to the legislation in place, the Parliament counts 100 deputies elected by universal direct suffrage, proportional and secrecy for one 3 years duration. The work of a saeima finished when that of the following one starts.

The elections were held October 7th and 8th 1922 with a rate of participation of 82,2%. It is weaker than the precedent but that is with the fact that the base of the voters was widened considerably. 88 lists were presented and 46 obtained seats in this first saeima.

The deputies were to 84% Latvians, 62% had a higher education and 22% secondary, the others had survival of the studies of professorship or had stopped with the primary education.

The number of committees was brought back to 20 compared with 21 for the constituent assembly and the principal lines of work were the organization of the ministerial cabinets and on associations which they are political or not. There be 214 session plenary for 343 discussed bills.

The first president was Frīdrihs Vesmanis which was replaced on March 20th, 1925 by Pauls Kalniņš.

IIe Saeima of 1925 to 1928

The elections were carried out the October 3rd and 4th 1925 with a rate of participation of 74,9%. 48 of the 141 lists obtained seats.

The percentage of Latvians remains the same one whereas that of those having followed a higher education moves back.

The number of committee had been fixed at 27 but was finally of 20 as for the first. There be 214 plenary sessions during which was discussed 335 bills. It is directed mainly towards the economic questions and social.

The president remains Pauls Kalniņš.

IIIe Saeima of 1928 to 1931

The elections take place the October 6th and 7th 1928 with a rate of participation of 79,3% what is a considerable advance since the number of voters passed from approximately 838800 to 937908. The number of lists is brought back to 120 thanks to a law imposing a deposit of 1000 lats which are refunded in the event of access to a function by at least one of the candidates. 54 will obtain a seat.

The saeima account 4 Latvians of less than the preceding assemblies.

The president does not change for these 223 plenary sessions at the time which 344 bills will be discussed.

IVe Saeima of 1931 to 1934

The deputies come from elections which proceeded October 3rd and 4th. The number of lists is changed to 103 of which 57 will obtain a seat.

The school past of the members of Parliament cover more sectors and the number of Latvians goes back to 83.

Kalniņš is always president but the number of committees is lowered to 18 whereas 25 parliamentary groups is born. 312 bills will be discussed at the 185 plenary sessions.

Fourth Saeima is dissolut following the coup d'etat of Kārlis Ulmanis, on May 15th, 1934 which gives the functions of the Parliament to the ministers.

from 1934 to 1990

See also: Dictatorship of Kārlis Ulmanis

See also: RSS of Latvia

Supreme council of the Republic of Latvia of 1990 to 1993

March 18th, 1990, for the first time since the beginning of the Soviet occupation, people have the right to vote for parties of all tendencies. Rate of participation is of 81,25% for a total of 1.593.019 registered voters.

On the 201 members, only 9 are women, 138 are Latvian, 185 followed higher learning.

At the time of 389 session plenary, a total of 404 laws is adopted. They position back the system of 1937 and institute a privatization process. In addition, they set up the constitutional law on the rights and the duties of the citizen.

This supreme council is used as transition between the Soviet occupation and covering from independence. Its president is not other than the former chief of the Supreme Soviet of Latvia: Anatolijs Gorbunovs .

Ve Saeima of 1993 to 1995

The elections of fifth Saeima were held June 3rd and 4th in agreement with the law of October 20th, 1992 which amends that of 1922 and modifies it.

The number of deputies is of 100 including 15 women. The deputies are divided into 15 parliamentary committees and 8 groups then 9 after the scission between Saskaņas centrs and the rebirth of the nation's economy.

It will meet at 137 plenary sessions during which 839 projects are discussed. It adopts the laws on the citizenship, corruption, amends the law of Satversme and that of 1925 on the composition of the ministerial cabinet. It starts in addition the reform relating to the local government and ratifies the act of withdrawal of the Russian troops.

Its president is Anatolijs Gribanovs.

Life Saeima of 1995 to 1998

The elections proceed from September 30th to October 1st with a rate of participation of 71,9% (955 392 voters).

The number of deputies is of 100 including 15 women. The deputies are divided into 16 parliamentary committees and 9 groups whose composition frequently changed with the " play of the chairs musicales".

It will meet at 197 plenary sessions during which 1335 projects are discussed. Among which, two laws on the elections carrying the mandate of the deputies at 4 years and bringing back to one day the behavior elections. In addition, were added a law on the basic rights and the recourse to procedure of civil law.

It is chaired by Ilga Kreituse then Alfreds Cepanis.

VIIe Saeima of 1998 to 2002

For the first time in the history of Latvia, the elections proceed over only one day, on October 3rd. Rate of participation does not suffer from it since it is maintained to 71,9% (944 667 voters).

17 deputies are women, 84 of the Latvians and 94 have a higher education. They are divided into only 6 parliamentary groups but 16 committees and 14 sub-committees.

It met to discuss of 1442 projects to adopt a total of 917 laws. Most important are the amendment of the constitutional law, of the code of criminal procedure, the operation of the administrations as well as the law on the documents electronics and that on the trade.

It is chaired by Janis Straume.

VIIIe Saeima of 2002 to 2006

The elections proceeded on October 5th with a rate of participation of 71,51%. 7490 people voted abroad.

6 parties obtain more of the 5% which make it possible to obtain a seat and there will be thus 6 parliamentary groups. Moreover, the assembly is divided into 17 committees.

Its president is Ingrida Udre.

composition

• “Jaunais laiks” - 26 deputies

• Apvienība “By cilvēka tiesībām vienotā Latvijā” - 25
• Tautas partija - 20
• Zaļo Zemnieku savienība - 12
• “Latvijas Pirmā Partija” - 10
• Apvienība “Tēvzemei Brīvībai” /LNNK - 7

Parties with less than 5% of the voices (voice and %):

• Savienība " Latvijas ceļš " 48.430 - 4,9
• Latvijas Sociāldemokrātiskā strādnieku partija 39.837 - 4.0
• Latgales Gaisma 15.948 - 1.6
• " Sociāldemokrātu savienība - SDS" 15.162 - 1.5
• Sociāldemokrātiskā Labklājības partija 13.234 - 1.3
• " Politiskā apvienība " Centrs" " 5.819 - 0.6
• Krievu partija 4.724 - 0.5
• Latviešu partija 3.919 - 0.4
• Latvijas Atdzimšanas partija 2.558 - 0.3
• " Brīvības partija" 2.075 - 0.2
• Māras zeme 1.446 - 0.2
• Partija " Mūsu zeme" 1.349 - 0.1
• " Progresīvā CENTRISKĀ partija" 1.229 - 0.1
• " Latvijas Apvienotā Republikāņu partija" 826 - 0.1

IXe Saeima (2006-)

With a rate of participation of 62,28% (901 796), the elections of IXe Saeima are presented in the form of the least followed a history of the Republic of Latvia. They were held the October 7th 2006. Some incidents took place in margin of the elections whose group of young people of extreme right-hand side which prohibited the entry of the polling station to the people not having Latvian nationality because can vote all the people having the citizenship.

The party which arrives at the head is Tautas partija, collecting 19,49% of the votes and obtaining 23 seats (+ 3). It is followed of Zaļo Zemnieku savienība, which sees its number again seats to increase to become the second party of the country (16,69%), and by Jaunais Laiks (16,38%) which obtains all the two 18 seats. Come then, Saskaņas centrs with 17 seats (14,42%), LPP/LLC with 10 seats (8,59%), TB/LNNK with 8 (6,95%) and PCTVL with 6 seats (6,02%).

The parties with less than 5% of votes are:

• Latvijas Sociāldemokrātiskā strādnieku partija 3,5 %
• Politiskā patriotiskā apvienība Dzimtene 2,09 %
• Partija Visu Latvija! 1,49% (the party of all Latvia)
• Yellowed demokrati 1,26% (new democrats)
• Pensionāru a senioru partija 0,79% (the party of reprocessed and seniors)
• Māras zeme 0,54% (ground of Māra)
• Eiroseptiķi 0,37% (Eurosceptic)
• Mūsu zeme 0,23% (Our ground)
• Latviešu Latvija 0,19% (Latvia of the Latvians)
• Nacionālā spēka savienība 0,13%
• Tēvzemes savienība 0,12% (the association of the fatherland)

complete figures: site of the newspaper '' Diena '' devoted to the elections

Building

The seat of the assembly is located in the Rīga old man. It was built between 1863 and 1867 for the order of the knights of Vidzeme by two architects of which the first Latvian architect having followed an academic course: Jānis Baumanis . Its style is a mixture of Florentin and Louis XVI.

It becomes property of the Parliament in 1920 but had already been useful for the council of the people and Satversme. Following the fire of October 17th, 1921 which devastates part of the building whose part where the deputies meet, the building is rehabilitated according to the plans of E. Laube with a view to adaptation to the new use.

It is used as cabinet with the services of the president after the blow of êtat of 1934 then will be the seat of the Supreme Soviet of Latvia during the Soviet occupation. The S establish there their general headquarters of the east and a department of police force. These two occupants are at the origin of the destruction or the flight of most of the historical heritage of the building.