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In order to learn about the everyday work of MPs and staff of the parliament during the Latvian Presidency, on Job Shadow Day, 11 February, almost 350 youths from all over Latvia visited the Saeima as shadows of MPs, ministerial employees, experts and journalists. 

At the end of the day, the youths said that they welcomed the opportunity to see how the Saeima works because it helped them to choose their future field of studies and to plan their careers; some of the young people were also thinking of going into politics. 

This year youngsters chose to shadow Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, and Deputy Speakers Inese Lībiņa-Egnere and Gundars Daudze, as well as Andrejs Klementjevs, Secretary of the Saeima. Mārtiņš Bondars, Juris Vectirāns, Artuss Kaimiņš and Nellija Kleinberga were the most popular MPs among the shadowers. 

During today’s meeting of the Citizenship, Migration and Social Cohesion Committee, members of the Committee swapped seats with shadows to enable the youths to discuss issues associated with repatriation, the diaspora, migration and ways of increasing public confidence in politicians. Shadows of the Budget and Finance (Taxation) Committee members accompanied their MPs on a visiting meeting with the Financial and Capital Market Committee, whereas shadows of the members of the Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee were given an opportunity to take part in a discussion on current events in the sphere of youth policy.   

Veronika Vīksna, a nine-year old student at the J. G. Herder Riga Grīziņkalns Secondary School, was the youngest shadow attached to Ivans Klementjevs, and the oldest was 27-year-old Rolands Eglītis, who shadowed Mārtiņš Bondars.  

The young people spent their day in the Saeima attending committee and parliamentary group meetings. They also attended the Speaker’s lecture on legislators’ work held in the Plenary Chamber and an exhibition featuring the Latvian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. 

A traditional part of Job Shadow Day was taking a group photo of youths and MPs on the Large Marble Staircase. Shadows of MPs also competed in a quiz to test their knowledge of the Saeima and took a tour of the Saeima function rooms. 

Most of the shadowers came from Valmiera State Gymnasium, Tukums Secondary School No. 2, Riga State Gymnasium No. 3, Jēkabpils State Gymnasium, Riga State Gymnasium No. 2, Daugavpils Russian Secondary School - Lyceum, Riga State Gymnasium No. 1, Riga Ķengarags Secondary School, Riga Secondary School No. 49, Āgenskalns State Gymnasium, Aknīste Secondary School and Aizpute Secondary School. Some shadowers came from Latvian universities, including the University of Latvia and Riga Technical University. 

This was the seventh time that the Saeima participated in Job Shadow Day. The Saeima is considered one of the most popular hosts of shadows in Latvia. 

Photos from the Job Shadow Day are available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/saeima  
Video from the Job Shadow Day is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xre0YJmKhlw
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Saeima Press Service