Members of parliament
A member of parliament is one of the hundred representatives of the people who is elected in general, equal, direct elections, by secret ballot, and on the basis of proportional representation.
The duty of a member of parliament is to represent the interests of his/her electorate by participating in the work of the Saeima, its standing committees and parliamentary groups and other groups of MPs, as well as in plenary sittings.
Upon undertaking his/her duties, an MP gives the following solemn oath at a plenary sitting:
“I, upon assuming the duties of a member of the Saeima, before the people of Latvia, do swear (solemnly promise) to be loyal to Latvia, to strengthen its sovereignty and the Latvian language as the only official language, to defend Latvia as an independent and democratic state and to fulfil my duties honestly and conscientiously. I undertake to observe the Constitution and laws of Latvia.”
MP’s term of office is four years, and he/she has the right to repeatedly apply for elections. One Saeima member represents approximately 15,000 voters.