FACTBOX - Presidential Election Procedure In Latvia

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th May, 2019) Latvia is holding its presidential election on Wednesday.

According to the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia (1922), the president of the country is elected by the country's parliament, the Saeima, for a four-year term. The same person cannot hold the office for more than two consecutive terms.

A Latvian national who is at least 40 years old and does not have dual citizenship may be elected president.

A person who has been held criminally liable; is serving a sentence in prison; has been convicted of an intentional criminal offence, except the case when the person has been rehabilitated; has been a permanent or freelance staff employee of the security service (intelligence or counterintelligence service) of the Soviet Union, Soviet Latvia or foreign states cannot be elected president. Article 3 of the Latvian Presidential Election Law (2007) contains the full list of restrictions.

Presidential candidates are nominated by political parties or coalitions.

Presidential candidates submit a written statement to the presidium of the parliament no earlier than 60 days and no later than 55 days before the current president's term of office expires.

The Saeima Presidium must be convened to elect the new president no earlier than 40 days and no later than 30 days before the current president's term of office expires. The president is elected by open voting.

The voting is preceded by presidential debates.

In order to be elected, a candidate should secure a simple majority of no fewer than 51 votes. The Saeima has 100 members.

If none of the candidates was able to collect the required number of votes, the Saeima reschedules the election.

Candidates for a new presidential election must be nominated no later than five days after the previous round.

In the event of a repeat election, the Saeima Presidium convenes a meeting not earlier than 10 days and no later than 15 days after the last round.

If, as a result of a repeat election, none of the candidates collected the required number of votes, a second vote is taken. The number of repeat run-offs is not limited, they will be held until one of the candidates obtains at least 51 votes. New candidates can be nominated starting from the second round.

The early election can be held in case of the current president's resignation, death or removal from office.

If the parliament's term of office expires and makes it impossible to comply with the deadlines of the presidential election, then the president is chosen by the newly elected Saeima. In this case, the list of candidates must be submitted to the presidium no earlier than 10 days and no later than 15 days after the newly elected parliament's first day of work. The sitting of the Saeima shall be held no earlier than 20 days and no later than 30 days after its first day of work.

The newly elected president, upon taking up the duties of office, shall take the oath at a gathering of the Saeima. The day of taking the oath is set by the parliament.

If the newly elected president refuses to take the solemn oath within the time frame established by the Saeima, then the new presidential election is held. In this case, the deadline for submitting the list of candidates and the Election Day are also set by the presidium.