Latvian presidential election, 2011
Encyclopedia
Indirect presidential elections were held in Latvia
on 2 June 2011. Incumbent president Valdis Zatlers
was standing again, as well as Andris Bērziņš (Saeima member for the Union of Greens and Farmers
), a former head of SEB Unibanka
(not to be confused with Andris Bērziņš, former PM from Latvia's First Party/Latvian Way); Bērziņš was nominated by five Saeima members of the Union of Greens and Farmers
just two days before the nomination deadline, although the party was assumed to back Zatlers for reelection.
In the first round, Bērziņš got 50 votes in favour and 48 against, while Zatlers got 43 in favour and 55 against (99 lawmakers cast votes, but one was invalid), meaning none was elected; a second round was held later on the same day, with Bērziņš winning the election 53 to 44 votes in favour; Zatlers got 41 to 56 votes.
Analysts attributed Zatlers' defeat to his decision to call Latvia's first parliamentary dissolution referendum
on 28 May 2011.
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
on 2 June 2011. Incumbent president Valdis Zatlers
Valdis Zatlers
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...
was standing again, as well as Andris Bērziņš (Saeima member for the Union of Greens and Farmers
Union of Greens and Farmers
Union of Greens and Farmers is a green/agrarian and conservative political alliance in Latvia. It consists of two political parties: Latvian Farmers' Union and the Green Party of Latvia . It is the third-largest party in the Saeima....
), a former head of SEB Unibanka
SEB Unibanka
SEB banka , owned by SEB, is one of the largest banks in Latvia. The bank was established after regaining independence from USSR by consolidating earlier financial structures, such as Bank of Agricultural Industry. Nowadays its main rivals in the Latvian banking market are Hansabanka and Parex bank....
(not to be confused with Andris Bērziņš, former PM from Latvia's First Party/Latvian Way); Bērziņš was nominated by five Saeima members of the Union of Greens and Farmers
Union of Greens and Farmers
Union of Greens and Farmers is a green/agrarian and conservative political alliance in Latvia. It consists of two political parties: Latvian Farmers' Union and the Green Party of Latvia . It is the third-largest party in the Saeima....
just two days before the nomination deadline, although the party was assumed to back Zatlers for reelection.
In the first round, Bērziņš got 50 votes in favour and 48 against, while Zatlers got 43 in favour and 55 against (99 lawmakers cast votes, but one was invalid), meaning none was elected; a second round was held later on the same day, with Bērziņš winning the election 53 to 44 votes in favour; Zatlers got 41 to 56 votes.
Analysts attributed Zatlers' defeat to his decision to call Latvia's first parliamentary dissolution referendum
Latvian parliamentary dissolution referendum, 2011
A referendum on whether the Saeima should be dissolved early was held in Latvia on 23 July 2011. President Valdis Zatlers used his parliamentary dissolution power for the first time in the history of Latvia...
on 28 May 2011.