Proposals on Constitutional Amendments from President of Latvia
On January 21, 2009, President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers submitted draft amendments to the Constitution of Latvia to the Saeima (Parliament), thus taking advantage of the right of legislative initiative which is granted to him in the Constitution.
The proposed amendments would allow one-tenth of voters to demand a referendum on dissolution of the Saeima. The Saeima would be dissolved if a majority of voters were to vote in the referendum, and if the number of “yes” votes would be equal to at least two-thirds of the number of people who voted in the previous parliamentary election.
A second proposal is that during situations of parliamentary crisis, the president would have the right to dissolve the Saeima and announce a new parliamentary election no later than two months after the dissolution. Examples of such a crisis situation would include a long-lasting inability to adopt a national budget or to confirm a new government, failure to ensure a quorum at Saeima meetings, or a situation in which it is necessary for the Saeima to have the direct support of the people in relation to a particularly important question.
The proposals made by President with respect to amendments to the Constitution of Latvia
Information prepared by:
Inese Lībiņa-Egner
Presidential advisor on juridical issues
February 9, 2009
