Latvian citizens possess a significant constitutional power: the right to directly influence the legislative process. Under the Constitution (Satversme), at least one-tenth of the electorate can submit a fully developed draft of a constitutional amendment or a law to the President, who then passes it to the Saeima (Parliament). Furthermore, voters have the right to initiate a national referendum on the recall of the Saeima.
How the Initiative Process Works
Once an initiative is registered by the Central Election Commission (CVK), a 12-month window opens for signature collection. For an initiative to proceed to the next stage, it must receive support from 10% of the total number of eligible voters in the last parliamentary election. This mechanism ensures that only proposals with substantial public backing reach the legislative floor.
Methods for Signing Initiatives
Citizens can verify their support through several official channels, both within Latvia and from abroad.
- Digital Signing: The most accessible method for the diaspora is the official portal Latvija.lv. This requires electronic identification (such as eParaksts or qualified banking credentials).
- In-Person in Latvia: Signatures are accepted at municipal declaration of residence offices, orphan’s courts (bāriņtiesas) performing notarial acts, and through sworn notaries.
- From Abroad: Citizens living outside Latvia, including those in the UK, can sign at Latvian diplomatic and consular missions where consular officials are authorized to perform notarial functions.
Essential Requirements
To participate in any signature collection, you must be a citizen of the Republic of Latvia and at least 18 years old. A valid form of identification—either a passport or an eID card—is mandatory for all in-person signing.
When using the digital portal, users should be aware that the State Digital Development Agency and the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs occasionally report technical maintenance. If an error occurs during the e-service process, the CVK recommends returning to the first step and restarting the session.
Information regarding active initiatives, those that have concluded, and those that were refused registration is maintained by the Central Election Commission. This transparency allows voters to track the progress of various civic movements and ensure their voices are legally recorded.
Source: Ventspils novada pašvaldība
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