On Thursday, 4 October, the Saeima approved in the final reading amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia to allow an open ballot in the election of the president of the State.
Until now, according to the Constitution of Latvia, the President of the State was elected by secret ballot by a majority of no less than 51 MPs’ votes.
“Election of the President of the State has become completely transparent and each MP will now have to explain to voters why he or she has supported a particular candidate,” said Gaidis Bērziņš, Chair of the Saeima Legal Affairs Committee, which was responsible for the draft law.
The amendments to the Constitution will come into effect on 1 January 2019.
According to the Constitution, any amendments to constitutional law must be voted on by at least 2/3 of the elected members of the Saeima. Amendments are passed in three readings by a majority vote of at least 2/3 of the elected members of the Saeima.
Saeima Press Service