President of Latvia

President of the Republic of Latvia
Latvijas Valsts prezidents

Presidential Standard
Incumbent
Andris Bērziņš
since 8 July 2011
Residence Riga Castle
Riga
Appointer Saeima
Term length Four years
renewable once, consecutively
Inaugural holder Jānis Čakste
14 November 1922
Formation Constitution of Latvia
Salary 55,000 Ls[1]
Website Latvijas Valsts prezidenta mājas lapa
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The President of Latvia is head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the Republic of Latvia.

The term of office is four years. Before 1997, it was three years. He or she may be elected any number of times, but not more than twice in a row. [2] In the event of the vacancy in the office of the President, the Speaker of the Saeima assumes the duties of the President. For example, after the death of Jānis Čakste the Speaker of the Saeima, Paul Kalnins, was acting president briefly in 1927, before a new President could be elected.

List

Parties

      DC       LSDSP       LZS       ZZS       None

Status
  Acting President
Nº Name Portrait Term of office Political party
1 Jānis Čakste[n 1] 17 December 1918 14 November 1922 Democratic Centre
14 November 1922 14 March 1927
– Pauls Kalniņš[n 2] 14 March 1927 8 April 1927 Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party
2 Gustavs Zemgals 8 April 1927 4 September 1930 Democratic Centre
3 Alberts Kviesis 4 September 1930 15 May 1934 Latvian Farmers' Union
(3) 16 May 1934 4 November 1936 Independent
4 Kārlis Ulmanis[n 3] 4 November 1936 21 July 1940 Independent
Position vacant (21 July 1940–8 July 1993)
5 Guntis Ulmanis 8 July 1993 8 July 1999 Latvian Farmers' Union
6 Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga 8 July 1999 8 July 2007 Independent
7 Valdis Zatlers 8 July 2007 8 July 2011 Independent
8 Andris Bērziņš 8 July 2011 Incumbent Independent

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Miljonārs Bērziņš netic, ka Latvijā valda nabadzība". tvnet.lv. 4 November 2012. (Latvian)
  2. ↑ "President of Latvia by Baltic Legal; Part of Constitution - The president". Baltic Legal. Retrieved 2013-03-14.

Notes

  1. ↑ Upon Latvian independence on 17 December 1918, Jānis Čakste was head of state as Chairman of Tautas padome (1918—1920) and Speaker of the Constitutional Assembly (1920—1922), until he was elected President by the first Saeima on 14 November 1922.
  2. ↑ Upon Čakste's death Speaker of the Saeima, Paul Kalnins was acting president March 14, 1927—April 8, 1927.
  3. ↑ Upon the expiration of Kviesis's term, Prime minister Kārlis Ulmanis merged the Presidency and the Premiership, holding both offices himself. After the Soviet occupation Prime Minister Augusts Kirhenšteins was illegitimate Acting President 21 July - 25 August 1940