Latvia

Government

Latvia is governed under the constitution of 1922 (restored 1991), as amended. The president, who is the head of state, is elected by parliament for a four-year term; there are no term limits. The government is headed by the prime minister, who is appointed by the president. The unicameral parliament ( Saeima ) has 100 members who are popularly elected for four-year terms. Administratively, the country is divided into 109 municipalities and 9 cities.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.