Direct Democracy

Latvia

DD002

Direct Democracy Provisions (National Level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Direct Democracy Procedures at the national level?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:	Constitution: Article 64. The Saeima, and also the people, have the right to legislate, in accordance with the procedures, and to the extent, provided for by this Constitution. Law: Article 1: A national referendum shall be held if: 1) the Saeima has amended the first, second, third, fourth, sixth or seventy-seventh Article of the Constitution (Satversme); 2) the President of Latvia has proposed the dissolution of the Saeima; 3) the President of Latvia has suspended the proclamation of a law for two months, and during this period a petition by not fewer than one-tenth of the electorate has been received to put the suspended law to a national referendum; 4) the Saeima has not adopted without change as to its content a draft law or a draft amendment to the Constitution submitted by not less than one-tenth of the electorate; 5) membership of Latvia in the European Union must be decided; 6) substantial changes in the terms regarding the membership of Latvia in the European Union must be decided, and at least one-half of the members of the Saeima have requested a national referendum on this matter. Article 2: All citizens of Latvia who are eligible to vote in the Saeima elections may participate in national referendums and in initiating legislation.
Source:	Constitution: The Constitution of the Republic of Latvia as amended on 8 April 2009, art. 48, 50, 64, 68, 72, 74, 77-80: http://legislationline.org/download/action/download/id/4777/file/Latvia_Constitution_am2009_en.pdf (2014); Law: Law on National Referendum and Initiation of Legislation as amended till 26 February 2009, art. 1-2. Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) (http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm)
Verified:	2014/10/09

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DD003

Mandatory referendums (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Mandatory Referendums at the national level?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:	Law: Article 1: A national referendum shall be held if: 1) the Saeima has amended the first, second, third, fourth, sixth or seventy-seventh Article of the Constitution (Satversme); 2) the President of Latvia has proposed the dissolution of the Saeima; 3) the President of Latvia has suspended the proclamation of a law for two months, and during this period a petition by not fewer than one-tenth of the electorate has been received to put the suspended law to a national referendum; 4) the Saeima has not adopted without change as to its content a draft law or a draft amendment to the Constitution submitted by not less than one-tenth of the electorate; 5) membership of Latvia in the European Union must be decided; 6) substantial changes in the terms regarding the membership of Latvia in the European Union must be decided, and at least one-half of the members of the Saeima have requested a national referendum on this matter.
Source:	Constitution: The Constitution of the Republic of Latvia as amended on 8 April 2009, art. 48, 50, 68, 72, 74, 77-79: http://legislationline.org/download/action/download/id/4777/file/Latvia_Constitution_am2009_en.pdf (2014); Law: Law on National Referendum and Initiation of Legislation as amended till 26 February 2009, art. 1.
Verified:	2014/10/09

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DD004

Optional referendums (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Optional Referendums at the national level?
Answer:	b. No
Comments:
Source:	Law: Law on National Referendum and Initiation of Legislation as amended till 26 February 2009.
Verified:	2014/10/03

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DD005

Citizens' Initiatives (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Citizen’s Initiatives at national level?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:	Article 2: All citizens of Latvia who are eligible to vote in the Saeima elections may participate in national referendums and in initiating legislation.
Source:	Law: Law on National Referendum and Initiation of Legislation as amended till 26 February 2009, art. 2, ch. 4.
Verified:	2014/10/09

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DD006

Agenda Initiatives (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Agenda Initiatives at national level?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:
Source:	Law: Law on National Referendum and Initiation of Legislation as amended till 26 February 2009, art. 1.
Verified:	2014/10/09

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DD007

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Recalls at national level?
Answer:	b. No
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) (http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm)
Verified:	2014/10/03

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DD129

Question:	Are the results of referenda always binding, never binding or sometimes binding?
Answer:	a. Always binding
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) (http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm)
Verified:	2014/10/03

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DD130

Question:	Are the types of issues to vote upon in a referendum constitutional changes only, other issues only or both constitutional and other issues?
Answer:	c. Both constitutional and other issues
Comments:	Law: Article 1: A national referendum shall be held if: 1) the Saeima has amended the first, second, third, fourth, sixth or seventy-seventh Article of the Constitution (Satversme); 2) the President of Latvia has proposed the dissolution of the Saeima; 3) the President of Latvia has suspended the proclamation of a law for two months, and during this period a petition by not fewer than one-tenth of the electorate has been received to put the suspended law to a national referendum; 4) the Saeima has not adopted without change as to its content a draft law or a draft amendment to the Constitution submitted by not less than one-tenth of the electorate; 5) membership of Latvia in the European Union must be decided; 6) substantial changes in the terms regarding the membership of Latvia in the European Union must be decided, and at least one-half of the members of the Saeima have requested a national referendum on this matter.
Source:	Constitution: The Constitution of the Republic of Latvia as amended on 8 April 2009, art. 48, 50, 68, 72, 74, 77-80: http://legislationline.org/download/action/download/id/4777/file/Latvia_Constitution_am2009_en.pdf (2014); Law: Law on National Referendum and Initiation of Legislation as amended till 26 February 2009, art. 1-2.
Verified:	2014/10/09

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DD131

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Direct Democracy at sub-national levels (regional or local)?
Answer:	b. No
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) (http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm)
Verified:	2014/10/03

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