The history of Latvia began around 9000 BC with the end of the last glacial period in northern Europe. Ancient Baltic peoples arrived in the area during the second millennium BC,and four distinct tribal realms in Latvia's territory were identifiable towards the end of the first millennium AD. Latvia's principal river Daugava,was at the head of an important trade route from the Baltic region through Russia into southern Europe and the Middle East that was used by the Vikings and later Nordic and German traders.
The politics of Latvia takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic,whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government,and of a multi-party system. The President holds a primarily ceremonial role as Head of State. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament,the Saeima. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. The Economist Intelligence Unit rated Latvia a "flawed democracy" in 2022.
Kārlis Augusts Vilhelms Ulmanis was a Latvian politician and a dictator. He was one of the most prominent Latvian politicians of pre-World War II Latvia during the Interwar period of independence from November 1918 to June 1940 and served as the country's first prime minister.
Alberts Kviesis was a Latvian politician who served as third President of Latvia from 1930 to 1936.
Anatolijs Gorbunovs,also known as Anatoly Valeryanovich Gorbunov,is a Latvian politician who served as the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet during the final years of the Soviet regime in Latvia and as Chairman of the Supreme Council of Latvia during the first years after the country regained its independence.
Riga City Council is the government of the city of Riga,the capital of Latvia. Its meeting place is in the Riga Town Hall at the Town Hall Square (Rātslaukums) in the very heart of Riga.
Raimonds Vējonis is a Latvian politician who served as the 9th President of Latvia from 2015 to 2019 and the president of the Latvian Basketball Association since 2020.
Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics was a Latvian politician and diplomat who served as the first Foreign Minister of Latvia from its independence until 1924 and again from December of the same year until his death. He also served two terms as the Prime Minister of Latvia from June,1921 to January,1923 and from June 1923 to January,1924. He was one of the founders of the Latvian Farmers' Union,one of Latvia's oldest political parties.
Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš is an American-Latvian politician who served as the prime minister of Latvia from 2019 until 2023. A linguist and businessman by profession,he previously served as Latvia's minister of Economics and a Member of the European Parliament. Born in Wilmington,Delaware,United States,to parents who had left Latvia during the Soviet occupation,he was active in the American Latvian community throughout his youth.
Valdis Zatlers is a Latvian politician and former physician who served as the seventh president of Latvia from 2007 to 2011. He won the Latvian presidential election of 31 May 2007. He became President of Latvia on 8 July 2007 and left office on 7 July 2011 after failing to win reelection for a second term.
The president of Latvia is head of state and commander-in-chief of the National Armed Forces of the Republic of Latvia.
Alfrēds Rubiks,is a Latvian communist politician and a former leader of the Communist Party of Latvia. He was a Member of the European Parliament for Latvia from 2009 until 2014. In the European Parliament he was a member of the European United Left–Nordic Green Left group.
Ainārs Šlesers is a Latvian business oligarch and politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of Latvia,as well as Deputy Mayor of Riga. Currently he is a member of the Latvian Parliament with his political party,Latvia First,holding 9 seats in the parliament.
Andris Bērziņš is a Latvian businessman and politician who was President of Latvia from 2011 to 2015. Bērziņšwas the President of Unibanka from 1993 to 2004. He was elected as President by the Saeima on 2 June 2011.
The House of the Livonian Noble Corporation,also known as Saeima House,is the seat of the parliament of Latvia,the Saeima. It is located in the Vecpilsēta neighbourhood of downtown Riga.
Egils Levits is a Latvian politician,lawyer,political scientist and jurist who served as the tenth president of Latvia from 2019 to 2023. He was a member of the European Court of Justice from 2004 to 2019.
Indirect presidential elections were held in Latvia on 20 June 2003. The incumbent,Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga,was re-elected by the Saeima to serve a second four-year term with an overwhelming majority.
Pauls Kalniņš was a Latvian physician and politician (LSDSP),a long-term Speaker of the Saeima,one of the signatories of the Memorandum of the Latvian Central Council in 17 March 1944,and was the Acting President of Latvia.
The 1993 presidential elections in Latvia took place on July 7,1993. It was the first presidential election after the restoration of Latvia's independence. Guntis Ulmanis was elected the 5th President of Latvia.
Gunārs Meierovics was a Latvian politician and the youngest son of the second Prime Minister of Latvia Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics. Meierovics was also a candidate for the 1993 Latvian presidential election.
