Info
Direct Democracy
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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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