Latvian parliament to elect president
10:33, 2 June 2011
RIGA. June 2. KAZINFORM Latvia's parliament, the Saeima, will on Thursday hold the first round of presidential elections. Kazinform refers to RIA Novosti.
Parliament will have to choose from two candidates - incumbent Valdis Zatlers, who lost popularity among lawmakers when he accused them in late May of corruption and called for the dissolution of parliament, and lawmaker Andris Berzins.
In order to win the election in the first round, the candidate has to gain at least 51 votes in the 100-seat legislature. Otherwise, a runoff will be held.
Zatlers called a referendum on whether the Saeima should be dissolved on May 28. The referendum is to be held on July 23.
If voters support the dissolution, parliament is dissolved; if not, Zatlers, should he be re-elected on Thursday, must resign and parliament remains. Kazinform cites RIA Novosti. See www.en.rian.ru