Saeima

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The Saeima is the parliament of the Republic of Latvia.

Saeima is a unicameral parliament consisting of 100 members who are elected in proportional elections, with seats allocated to political parties which gain at least 5% of popular vote. Elections are held once every 4 years, on the first Saturday of October. The most recent elections were held in October 2006.

The President of Latvia can dismiss the Saeima and request early elections. The procedure for dismissing it is, however, quite dangerous and no president of Latvia has ever attempted to dismiss it.

The name of the Latvian parliament is not to be confused with:

Seimas - the name of the Lithuanian parliament.
Sejm - the name of the lower house of the Polish parliament.

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**Summary of the 5 October 2002 Latvian **Saeima** election results**
Parties and coalitions	Votes	%	Seats	Change
New Era Party (Jaunais Laiks)	237,452	23.9	26	+26
For Human Rights in United Latvia (Par Cilvēka Tiesībām Vienotā Latvijā) National Harmony Party (Tautas Saskaņas Partija) Latvian Socialist Party (Latvijas Sociālistiskā Partija) Equal Rights (Līdztiesība)	189,088	19.0	25	+9
People's Party (Tautas Partija)	165,246	16.6	20	-4
Union of Greens and Farmers (Zaļo un Zemnieku Savienība) Latvian Farmers' Union (Latvijas Zemnieku Savienība) Latvian Green Party (Latvijas Zaļā Partija)	93,759	9.4	12	+12
Latvia First Party (Latvijas Pirmā Partija)	94,752	9.5	10	+10
For Fatherland and Freedom (Tēvzemei un Brīvībai/LNNK)	53,396	5.4	7	-10
Latvian Way (Latvijas Ceļš)	48,430	4.9	0	-17
Latvian Social Democratic Labour Party (Latvijas Sociāldemokrātiskā Strādnieku Partija)	39,837	4.0	0	-14
Light of Latgale (Latgales Gaisma)	15,948	1.6	0
Social Democratic Union (Sociāldemokrātu Savienība)	15,162	1.5	0
Social Democratic Welfare Party (Sociāldemokrātiska Labklājības Partija)	13,234	1.4	0
Total	997,754	100.0	100

Results at the last election of 7 October 2006:
- PCTVL, 6,03%, 6 MP;
- Saskanas Centrs, 14,43%, 17;
- LSDSP, 3,5%, -;
- ZZS, 16,71%, 18;
- JP/LPP, 8,58%, 10;
- TP, 19,56%, 23;
- JL, 16,38% 18;
- TB-LNNK, 6,94%, 8.