2002 Latvian parliamentary election
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Short description|Parliamentary election held in Latvia}}
{{Infobox legislative election
| country = Latvia
| type = parliamentary
| previous_election = 1998
| next_election = 2006
| seats_for_election = All 100 seats in the Saeima
| majority_seats = 51
| turnout = 77.03% ({{increase}} 6.03 pp)
| election_date = 5 October 2002
| leader1 = Einars Repše
| party1 = JL
| last_election1 = New
| seats1 = 26
| percentage1 = 23.98
| leader2 = Jānis Jurkāns
| party2 = ForHRUL
| last_election2 = 16
| seats2 = 25
| percentage2 = 19.09
| leader3 = Andris Šķēle
| party3 = TP
| last_election3 = 24
| seats3 = 20
| percentage3 = 16.69
| leader5 = Ingrīda Ūdre
| party5 = ZZS
| last_election5 = 0
| seats5 = 12
| percentage5 = 9.47
| leader4 = Ainārs Šlesers
| party4 = LPP
| last_election4 = New
| seats4 = 10
| percentage4 = 9.57
| leader6 = Jānis Straume
| party6 = TB/LNNK
| last_election6 = 17
| seats6 = 7
| percentage6 = 5.39
| map = Vēlētāju Karte (2002).svg
| map_caption = Results by district
| title = Prime Minister
| before_election = Andris Bērziņš
| before_party = Latvian Way
| after_election = Einars Repše
| after_party = New Era Party
}}{{Politics of Latvia}}
Parliamentary elections were held in Latvia on 5 October 2002.Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1122 {{ISBN|978-3-8329-5609-7}} The New Era Party emerged as the largest party in the Saeima, winning 26 of the 100 seats.
Results
{{Election results
|image=File:Latvia_Saeima_2002.svg
|party1=New Era Party|votes1=237452|seats1=26|sc1=New
|party2=For Human Rights in United Latvia|votes2=189088|seats2=25|sc2=+9
|party3=People's Party|votes3=165246|seats3=20|sc3=–4
|party4=Latvia's First Party|votes4=94752|seats4=10|sc4=New
|party5=Union of Greens and Farmers|votes5=93759|seats5=12|sc5=+12
|party6=For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK|votes6=53396|seats6=7|sc6=–10
|party7=Latvian Way|votes7=48430|seats7=0|sc7=–21
|party8=Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party|votes8=39837|seats8=0|sc8=–14
|party9=Light of Latgale|votes9=15948|seats9=0|sc9=New
|party10=Social Democratic Party|votes10=15162|seats10=0|sc10=New|color10=red
|party11=Social Democratic Welfare Party|votes11=13234|seats11=0|sc11=New
|party12=Political Alliance "Centre"{{efn|Political Alliance "Centre" was an alliance of Latvia's Democratic Party, the Workers' Party, For Freedom in Latvia and the Union of Latvian Farmers.Nohlen & Stöver, p1135}}|votes12=5819|seats12=0|sc12=New|color12=#F8F9FA
|party13=Russian Party|votes13=4724|seats13=0|sc13=New
|party14=Latvians' Party|votes14=3919|seats14=0|sc14=New
|party15=Latvian Revival Party|votes15=2558|seats15=0|sc15=New
|party16=Freedom Party|votes16=2075|seats16=0|sc16=New
|party17=Mara's Land|votes17=1446|seats17=0|sc17=New
|party18=Citizens' Union "Our Land"|votes18=1349|seats18=0|sc18=0
|party19=Progressive Centre Party|votes19=1229|seats19=0|sc19=New
|party20=Latvian United Republican Party|votes20=826|seats20=0|sc20=New
|invalid=7505
|total_sc=0
|electorate=1295287
|source=Nohlen & Stöver
}}
{{notelist}}
Aftermath
Voters severely punished the previous governing parties, with the People's Party and For Fatherland and Freedom both losing seats, while Latvian Way lost all its MPs.
A new coalition government was formed by the New Era Party, Latvia's First Party, For Fatherland and Freedom and the Union of Greens and Farmers. This enjoyed a parliamentary majority of 55 of the 100 MPs. However, after two years For Fatherland and Freedom left the coalition and was replaced by the People's Party, who returned to government after a two-year absence.