On Thursday, 2 February 2023, elections of the Chairperson and Members of the Central Election Commission (CEC) were held in the Saeima. Kristīne Saulīte, the former leader of the World Federation of Free Latvians, was elected as the Chairperson of the Central Election Commission. As Members of the Central Election Commission were elected Aldis Austers (“PROGRESSIVES”), Ringolds Balodis (LATVIA FIRST), Ritvars Eglājs (National Alliance "All For Latvia!" - "For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK"), Dzinta Kusiņa (Union of Greens and Farmers), Katarina Ogorodņika ("Stability!"), Sanita Stelpe-Seglina (New UNITY) and Baiba Veisa (THE UNITED LIST – Latvian Green Party, Latvian Regional Alliance, Liepāja Party).
The Law On the Central Election Commission states that the Saeima should, not later than six months after the convening thereof, establish the Central Election Commission. The Central Election Commission consists of nine members, of which the Chairperson and seven members of the Commission are elected by the Saeima, and one member from among the judges is elected by the Supreme Court in its Plenary Assembly. On 12 December last year, Ms. Marika Senkāne, a Senator of the Department of Civil Cases was re-elected as a member of the Central Election Commission from the Supreme Court.
The Central Election Commission is a permanently functioning elected public institution, whose duties are to ensure the enforcement, as well as uniform and correct application of the Law on the Election of the Saeima, the Election to the European Parliament Law and the City Council and Municipality Council Election Law and the law On National Referendum and Legislative Initiative, and also to control accurate enforcement of these laws.
CEC Information Department