Chamber:
	Saeima
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	3 October 1998
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament following the premature dissolution of the legislature. General elections had previously been held in September/October 1995.
Background and outcome of elections:
	Following the previous general elections of October 1995, Prime Minister Andris Shkele formed a multi-party coalition Government but yielded his post to Mr. Guntars Krasts (Conservative Union for Fatherland and Freedom (TB/LNNK) in July 1997. The latter then formed a new five-party coalition Government. In March 1998, Mr. Shkele announced the formation of a new party: the People’s Party (TP). The 1998 poll was held at the same time as a popular referendum on facilitating Latvian naturalization requirements for some 700,000 stateless Russian-speaking inhabitants. Altogether 21 groups vied for the 100 Saeima seats at stake. On polling day, the referendum was approved by 53% of the voters and the pro-business TP topped all other parties with 24 seats as the total number of groups gaining parliamentary representation dropped from nine to six. Coming in second was the centrist Latvia’s Way (LC), led by Mr. Andrejs Pantelejevs; it edged the nationalist TB/LNNK and the left-wing National Harmony Party (TSP) led by Mr. Alfreds Rubiks. The overall result left pro-reform parties that favoured a market economy, as well as steady progress to European Union (EU) membership, in the leading positions, and signaled a continuation of government policy on these matters. In this context, President of the Republic Guntis Ulmanis undertook consultations with all six parties that had won seats in view of forming a new Government. This took several weeks and, finally, on 26 November, a new minority coalition Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Vilis Kristopans (LC) was approved by Parliament; it comprises members of the LC, TB/LNNK and the New Party (JP).

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (3 October 1998): Elections results
Number of registered electors	1,341,942
Voters	964,667 (71.89%)

Round no 1: Distribution of votes
Political Group	%
People's Party (TP)	21.19
Latvia’s Way (LC)	18.05
Conservative Union for Fatherland and Freedom (TB/LNNK)	14.65
National Harmony Party (TSP)	14.12
Social Democratic Party (LSDA)	12.81
New Party (JP)	7.31
Others	11.87

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total
People's Party (TP)	24
Latvia’s Way (LC)	21
Conservative Union for Fatherland and Freedom (TB/LNNK)	17
National Harmony Party (TSP)	16
Social Democratic Party (LSDA)	14
New Party (JP)	8
Others	0

Distribution of seats according to sex:
Men:	83
Women:	17