In a quick turnaround, Latvian lawmakers met in the morning of Nov. 7, organized the new Saeima and, gathering again in the early evening, voiced their approval for a continuation of a government coalition led by Prime Minister Aigars Kalvītis.

The four-party conservative coalition received 58 votes in favor and 41 against, according to the parliament’s official Web site.

Of the four parties in the coalition, Tautas partija (People’s Party) got seven portfolios, including the job of prime minister. Zaļo un zemnieku savienība (Unions of Greens and Farmers) got five portfolios. Four went to Latvijas Pirmā Parija (First Party of Latvia) and Latvijas Ceļš (Latvia’s Way), which joined forces for the Oct. 7 parliamentary election. The newest coalition member, Tēvzemei un Brīvibai/LNNK (For Fatherland and Freedeom/LNNK) got three porfolios.

Tēvzemei un Brīvibai/LNNK joined the coalition in just the past few days, disappointing Jaunais laiks (New Era), which had been trying to mend fences with other conservative parties and rejoin the coalition. Jaunais laiks had been part of the last Kalvītis government, but pulled its six ministers in April in a public dispute with Latvijas Pirmā Partija.

The new Cabinet of Ministers includes:

• Prime Minister Aigars Kalvītis, Tautas partija, who continues in his position.
• Defense Minister Atis Slakteris, Tautas partija, who had joined the cabinet in April.
• Finance Minister Oskars Spurdziņš, Tautas partija, who first got the job in March 2004.
• Foreign Minister Artis Pabriks, Tautas partija, who first got the job in July 2004.
• Culture Minister Helēna Demakova, Tautas partija, who has held the post since March 2004.
• Health Minister Gundars Bērziņš, Tautas partija, who first got the job in December 2004.
• Aigars Štokenbergs, Tautas partija, minister for regional development and local government. He previously was the economics minister.
• Education and Science Minister Baiba Rivža, Zaļo un zemnieku savienība, who has held the position since April.
• Welfare Minister Dagnija Staķe, Zaļo un zemnieku savienība, who first got the job in November 2002.
• Environment Minister Raimonds Vējonis, Zaļo un zemnieku savienība, who has held the position since January 2003.
• Agriculture Minister Mārtiņš Roze, Zaļo un zemnieku savienība, who first got the job in November 2002.
• Ina Gudele, Zaļo un zemnieku savienība, minister for special assignments for electronic government affairs. She has held the position since April.
• Minister for Children and Family Affairs Ainārs Baštiks, Latvijas Pirmā Partija and Latvijas Ceļš, who first got the job in May 2004.
• Interior Minister Ivars Godmanis, Latvijas Pirmā Partija and Latvijas Ceļš, who replaces the controversial Dzintars Jaundžeikars. Godmanis was chair of the Council of Ministers from 1990-1993 and served as finance minister from 1998-1999.
• Minister of Transportation Ainārs Šlesers, Latvijas Pirmā Partija and Latvijas Ceļš, who replaces Krišjānis Peters. Šlesers, who has been at loggerheads with Jaunais laiks founder Einars Repše, is head of Latvijas Pirmā Partija. He returns to the communications ministry, having held the minister’s job before Peters.
• Oskars Kastēns, Latvijas Pirmā Partija and Latvijas Ceļš, minister for special assignments for society integration affairs, who replaces Karina Pētersone. Pētersone, elected to the new Saeima, now is an advisor to the speaker of the parliament.
• Economics Minister Jurijs Strods, Tēvzemei un Brīvībai/LNNK, who replaces Štokenbergs.
• Justice Minister Gaidis Bērziņš, Tēvzemei un Brīvībai/LNNK, who replaces Guntars Grīnvalds.
• Normunds Broks, Tēvzemei un Brīvībai/LNNK, minister for special assignments for administration of European Union funds.

The Cabinet of Ministers is scheduled to meet for the first time Nov. 8.

The new speaker of the Saeima is Indulis Emsis, who served as prime minister for seven months in 2004. He is a member of Zaļo un zemnieku savienība.

The Saeima consists of 100 members, but the election of one deputy, Juris Boldāns, was not sanctioned by the parliament’s ethics commission. Boldāns, elected on the Tēvzemei un Brīvībai/LNNK ticket, is under investigation for forgery related to the recent election.

Since last year Latvia has seen a “significant improvement” in perceived levels of corruption, according to the latest Corruption Perception Index by the Berlin-based Transparency International.

Latvia ranked 49th on the list released Nov. 6, tied with Slovakia and a jump of two spots from last year, when the nation ranked 51st.

The Corruption Perception Index is based on polls of business people, academics and country analysts. A total of 163 countries are included in the 2006 index, which measures opinion about the level of corruption and is based on a 10-point scale. The higher the score, the less a nation’s economic and political system is perceived as corrupt.

It is on that scale that Latvia has seen the “significant improvement,” leaping to 4.7 from last year’s 4.2. The increase was the greatest since the country’s first appearance in the index, the anti-corruption group Delna said in Rīga.

Nonetheless, scores below 5.0 suggest that the level of corruption in a country is serious, according to Transparency International.

Latvia continues to gain on its southern Baltic neighbor. Lithuania maintained a score of 4.8, but slipped to 48th place from last year’s 44th. It was tied with the Czech Republic and Kuwait.

Estonia, meanwhile, rose three places to 24th overall, but its score of 6.7 remain unchanged from last year. It was tied with Barbados.

Finland, Iceland and New Zealand shared the No. 1 spot in the index. At the bottom of the list was Haiti. The United States ranked 20th and was tied with Belgium and Chile. Russia ranked 121st, tied with Benin, Gambia, Guyana, Honduras, Nepal, Phillipines, Rwanda and Swaziland.

Jeļena Prokopčuka of Latvia has successfully defended her title in the ING New York City Marathon, finishing the Nov. 5 women’s race in a time of 2 hours, 25 minutes and 5 seconds, just under a half-minute slower than during her 2005 victory.

Prokopčuka, 30, is the sixth woman in the history of the New York marathon to repeat as champion, according to the marathon’s Web site. She will take home USD 130,000 for her victory.

She and Tatiana Hladyr of Ukraine broke away from the pack early in the race, but Prokopčuka eventually pulled clear and crossed the finish line a full minute before her.

Last year, Prokopčuka won after the leader, Susan Chepkemei of Kenya, became ill three miles from the finish line.

In 2004, Prokopčuka finished fifth with a time of 2:26:51.

Prokopčuka is coached by her husband, Aleksander Prokopčuks.

Prokopčuka’s personal best time in a marathon was 2:22:56, recorded last year in Osaka, Japan, according to the International Association of Athletics Federations.

Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil won the men’s race in this year’s New York marathon.

Other runners from Latvia participating in the marathon included Ivars Eskins, 44, who finished in a time of 3:38:04; Dzintars Rudzītis, 50, finishing in a time of 3:50:32; Kristaps Tamuzs, 25, finishing in a time of 3:54:33; Marts Kalniņš, 36, finishing in a time of 3:59:07; Andis Vītoliņš, 37, finishing in a time of 4:01:40; and Inta Eskina, 45, who finished in a time of 5:53:37.