2019 Latvian presidential election explained

Election Name:2019 Latvian presidential election
Country:Latvia
Type:presidential
Vote Type:Popular
Previous Election:2015 Latvian presidential election
Previous Year:2015
Next Election:2023 Latvian presidential election
Next Year:2023
Image1:Egilu Levitu (48903396252).jpg
Image1 Size:x190px
Candidate1:Egils Levits
Electoral Vote1:61
Image2 Size:x190px
Candidate2:Didzis Šmits
Electoral Vote2:24
President of Latvia
Before Election:Raimonds Vējonis
After Election:Egils Levits

Indirect presidential elections were held in Latvia on 29 May 2019.

Voting system

Before the first round of the presidential election, the political parties represented in the Saeima nominate their candidate.[1]

The president is elected in the first round if they receive the absolute majority of the deputies, i.e. 51 votes out of 100.

In case of failure, another round is organized with the same candidates or different ones, and under the same conditions. If no one is elected, other rounds are held until a candidate receives 51 votes and becomes President of Latvia. The president of the Saeima chairs the electoral college.

Elections

Latvia's parliament elected former European Court of Justice judge Egils Levits as the Baltic country's next president on Wednesday, a largely ceremonial role that also brings with it limited political powers.

The results of the vote were as follows:[2] [3]

Candidates! scope=col
Partiesscope=colVotesscope=col%
Egils LevitsIndependent6165,59
Didzis ŠmitsKPV LV2425,81
Juris JansonsIndependent88,60
align=left colspan=3 Valides votes9397,89
align=left colspan=3 Blank and invalid votes22,11
align=left colspan=3 Total95100
align=left colspan=3 Absention55,00
align=left colspan=3 Registered voters / turnout10095,00

Having received 61 votes, Levits began serving a four-year term starting on July 8, when incumbent president Raimonds Vējonis' term came to an end.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FACTBOX - Presidential Election Procedure In Latvia. UrduPoint. May 29, 2019.
  2. News: Egils Levits elected as President of Latvia . May 29, 2019 . . May 29, 2019.
  3. News: Saeima chooses Egils Levits as new State President . May 29, 2019 . . May 29, 2019.
  4. News: Latvian parliament elects former judge Levits president. Reuters . May 29, 2019. May 29, 2019. www.reuters.com.