How well do Saeima's 100 lawmakers represent Latvia's nearly two million residents?

The latest episode of LSM's analytical programme 'Case' looks at how closely the composition of Latvia's parliament, the Saeima, mirrors the country's population as a whole. Latvia is home to nearly two million people, yet only one hundred deputies sit in parliament to represent their interests — a disparity the programme uses as its starting point for asking how well that representation actually works.

The episode explores whether deputies' personal life experience shapes which problems they are able to recognize and treat as important. If the group of lawmakers differs significantly from the average resident in terms of daily circumstances or life experience, there is a risk that issues relevant to parts of society go unnoticed or are not treated as priorities in parliament.

The programme frames this as a broader question about the nature of democratic representation — whether the makeup of elected officials needs to reflect the diversity of voters for decisions to genuinely match society's needs. 'Case' invites viewers to see the Saeima not as an abstract institution but as a group of specific individuals whose experience and perspective shape everyday national policy.

The episode is available in video format on LSM's Russian-language section and is part of a recurring series of analytical programmes addressing current issues in Latvia's public and political life.