Latvia

Parliament

Political system
Parliamentary system
Structure of parliament
Unicameral
IPU membership
Yes

Parliamentary mandate

Start and end of mandate

Start of the parliamentary mandate for newly elected members
At the first sitting of the chamber
Start of the parliamentary mandate for appointed members
Not applicable
End of the parliamentary mandate
When the new chamber meets for the first time

Speaker

Mode of designation of the Speaker
The Speaker is elected from among the members of parliament/chamber
Authority that designates the Speaker when the Speaker is designated from outside parliament.
Not applicable
Rank of the Speaker in the hierarchy of the State
Second
Speaker becomes interim Head of State in the event of the latter’s death or incapacity
Yes
Speaker's mandate continues between legislatures
Yes

Speaker terms

The term of the Speaker is different from the term of the house
Yes
Speaker's term
4 Years
Fixed election date for the Speaker, if any
No information available

Immunity and code of conduct

Parliament’s authorization is required for the detention or prosecution of members
Yes, except for flagrant delicto

Notes:

Articles 29 and 30 of the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia:

29. Members of the Saeima shall not be arrested, nor shall their premises be searched, nor shall their personal liberty be restricted in any way without the consent of the Saeima. Members of the Saeima may be arrested if apprehended in the act of committing a crime. The Presidium shall be notified within twenty-four hours of the arrest of any member of the Saeima; the Presidium shall raise the matter at the next sitting of the Saeima for a decision as to whether the member shall continue to be held in detention or be released. When the Saeima is not in session, pending the opening of a session, the Presidium shall decide whether the member of the Saeima shall remain in detention.

30. Without the consent of the Saeima, criminal prosecution may not be commenced against its members.

There is a Code of conduct for members
Yes

Salaries and allowances

Members are paid salaries by parliament
Click for historical data
Basic salary, per year
40,632 EUR
(2022)
Basic salary, per year in PPP
78,138
(2022)
Basic allowances
Click for historical data
Basic allowance in PPP
0
Names of the basic allowances
No information available
Members pay income tax on salaries
Yes
Members pay income tax on allowances
No information available
Members can have remunerated employment outside parliament
Yes
Members are required to declare income from other employment to parliament
No
Salary of the Speaker
54,780 EUR
Salary of the Speaker in PPP
110,734
The parliamentary salary is determined in reference to another salary scale
Yes
Reference scale used for parliamentary salaries
Other

Notes: The average salary in the country.

Information on salaries and allowances on the parliamentary website
Year data was last reported

2020

Facilities, services and allowances for constituency work
Personal staff to work directly for the parliamentarian
Yes
Office at parliament
Yes
Constituency office
No
Housing
No
Other cash or in-kind allowances for constituency work
Yes

Notes:

Compensation for transport and living space rent (hotel) expenses

Additional salaries and allowances for leadership positions
Additional salaries and allowances provided for leadership positions
Yes

Notes:

Additional annual salary received:

Speaker: 19,224 euro

Deputy Speaker & Secretary: 16,440 euro

Deputy Secretary, Heads of parliamentary groups & Committee Chairs; 15,444 euro

Committee Deputy Chair, Committee Secretaries, & Deputy Head of parliamentary groups (fractions): 3,888 euro

Subcommittee Chairs: 3,000 euro

Subcommittee Secretaries: 1,884 euro

List of salaries and allowances for leadership positions
Salary Allowances
Speaker Yes
Committee Chair Yes

Participation in the government

Members of the government must also be members of parliament
Can be a member of parliament
Number of members of the parliament/chamber who are also members of the government
Click for historical data
Percentage of members of parliament/chamber who are also members of the government
Click for historical data

Historical data for IPU membership

Historical data for IPU membership
Year IPU membership
2020-09
List of values for 2020-09
No
2019-04
List of values for 2019-04
No
2018-06
List of values for 2018-06
No