Vertical Accountability
#12Key Findings
Latvia falls into the upper-middle ranks internationally (rank 12) in the category of vertical accountability.
Electoral registration procedures are transparent and fair. The Central Election Commission oversees national and local elections, while the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau monitors party funding and imposes penalties for violations. All Latvian citizens over 18 can vote, though approximately 10% of the population are noncitizens, and cannot vote.
Latvia’s political landscape is divided along ethnic and linguistic lines, with Latvian and Russian-speaking communities often supporting different parties. Political parties tend to have few members, and often focus on broad issues to attract voters.
Although governing coalitions often include ideologically diverse parties, which are able to cooperate within the government, a strong division between the governing coalition and the opposition is typical. The Freedom of Information Act allows residents to request government information. Citizens can appeal government decisions in administrative courts.
Electoral registration procedures are transparent and fair. The Central Election Commission oversees national and local elections, while the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau monitors party funding and imposes penalties for violations. All Latvian citizens over 18 can vote, though approximately 10% of the population are noncitizens, and cannot vote.
Latvia’s political landscape is divided along ethnic and linguistic lines, with Latvian and Russian-speaking communities often supporting different parties. Political parties tend to have few members, and often focus on broad issues to attract voters.
Although governing coalitions often include ideologically diverse parties, which are able to cooperate within the government, a strong division between the governing coalition and the opposition is typical. The Freedom of Information Act allows residents to request government information. Citizens can appeal government decisions in administrative courts.
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To what extent is political competition among candidates and political parties free and fair?
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There are no barriers, by law or in practice, to effective political competition.
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Existing barriers, by law and in practice, pose no significant obstacles to effective political competition.
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Existing barriers, by law and in practice, pose some significant obstacles to effective political competition.
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1
Existing barriers, by law and in practice, pose various significant obstacles to effective political competition.
All electoral registration procedures provide equal opportunities for each candidate in elections for the European Parliament, the national parliament, and local bodies. These procedures adhere to standards of transparency and fairness.
Only political parties are authorized to submit candidate lists for EU, parliamentary, and local elections. A political party with at least 500 members or an alliance of political parties can submit a list. An alliance must have been established at least a year before the elections and have a minimum of 500 members.
Any Latvian citizen over the age of 21 is eligible to be a candidate in national elections. However, there are restrictions related to historical justice and the Soviet occupation period. Individuals who served in the Soviet Secret Services are ineligible to be candidates, a restriction that must be substantiated with a certificate from the court.
To ensure compliance with the Saeima Election Law and its candidacy restrictions, registered candidate lists are reviewed by the Directorate of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, the Information Center of the Ministry of the Interior, and the Center for Documenting the Consequences of Totalitarianism. Decisions by the Central Election Commission (CVK) to register or reject a candidate list, or to remove a nominated candidate from a registered list, can be appealed in court within three working days. Once registered, candidate lists cannot be withdrawn. The Central Election Commission can only amend lists to delete candidates who do not meet the Saeima Election Law requirements, based on opinions or court judgments, or to make technical corrections.
The Central Election Commission also oversees and establishes procedures for local elections. Local election commissions handle the submission of candidate lists for these elections.
Latvia’s media landscape is pluralistic, with election campaigns covered by TV, radio, online news platforms, social media, and print media, ensuring equal access for all candidates and political parties. There are increasing numbers of public debates between political party leaders, especially for parties polling around and above the 5% threshold.
In 2022, several amendments were made to the Law on Electronic Mass Media, allowing the National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP) to suspend access to websites that post disinformation or threats to national security. This measure aims to prevent the use of disinformation, inaccurate information, or media manipulation during pre-election campaigns.
The Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) independently monitors the funding and expenses of political parties transparently and imposes sanctions in cases of violations.
Citations:
The Law on Elections of Saeima. Adopted May 25,1995. https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/35261-law-on-the-election-of-the-isaeimai
OSCE. 2023. Latvia, Parliamentary Elections, 1 October 2022: Final Report. ODIHR Election Assessment Mission Final Report. https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/latvia/541053
Law on the Election of Local Government Councils. Adopted Jan. 13, 1994. https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/57839-law-on-the-election-of-local-government-councils
Pre-election Campaign Law. Adopted Nov. 29, 2012. https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/253543-pre-election-campaign-law
Law on Financing of Political Organisations (Parties). Adopted July 19, 1995. https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/36189-law-on-financing-of-political-organisations-parties
NEPLP. 2022. “Vadlīnijas elektronisko plašsaziņas līdzekļu darbībai priekšvēlēšanu aģitācijas perioda laikā.” https://www.neplp.lv/lv/vadlinijas-elektronisko-plassazinas-lidzeklu-darbibai-prieksvelesanu-agitacijas-perioda-laika
Only political parties are authorized to submit candidate lists for EU, parliamentary, and local elections. A political party with at least 500 members or an alliance of political parties can submit a list. An alliance must have been established at least a year before the elections and have a minimum of 500 members.
Any Latvian citizen over the age of 21 is eligible to be a candidate in national elections. However, there are restrictions related to historical justice and the Soviet occupation period. Individuals who served in the Soviet Secret Services are ineligible to be candidates, a restriction that must be substantiated with a certificate from the court.
To ensure compliance with the Saeima Election Law and its candidacy restrictions, registered candidate lists are reviewed by the Directorate of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, the Information Center of the Ministry of the Interior, and the Center for Documenting the Consequences of Totalitarianism. Decisions by the Central Election Commission (CVK) to register or reject a candidate list, or to remove a nominated candidate from a registered list, can be appealed in court within three working days. Once registered, candidate lists cannot be withdrawn. The Central Election Commission can only amend lists to delete candidates who do not meet the Saeima Election Law requirements, based on opinions or court judgments, or to make technical corrections.
The Central Election Commission also oversees and establishes procedures for local elections. Local election commissions handle the submission of candidate lists for these elections.
Latvia’s media landscape is pluralistic, with election campaigns covered by TV, radio, online news platforms, social media, and print media, ensuring equal access for all candidates and political parties. There are increasing numbers of public debates between political party leaders, especially for parties polling around and above the 5% threshold.
In 2022, several amendments were made to the Law on Electronic Mass Media, allowing the National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP) to suspend access to websites that post disinformation or threats to national security. This measure aims to prevent the use of disinformation, inaccurate information, or media manipulation during pre-election campaigns.
The Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) independently monitors the funding and expenses of political parties transparently and imposes sanctions in cases of violations.
Citations:
The Law on Elections of Saeima. Adopted May 25,1995. https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/35261-law-on-the-election-of-the-isaeimai
OSCE. 2023. Latvia, Parliamentary Elections, 1 October 2022: Final Report. ODIHR Election Assessment Mission Final Report. https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/latvia/541053
Law on the Election of Local Government Councils. Adopted Jan. 13, 1994. https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/57839-law-on-the-election-of-local-government-councils
Pre-election Campaign Law. Adopted Nov. 29, 2012. https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/253543-pre-election-campaign-law
Law on Financing of Political Organisations (Parties). Adopted July 19, 1995. https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/36189-law-on-financing-of-political-organisations-parties
NEPLP. 2022. “Vadlīnijas elektronisko plašsaziņas līdzekļu darbībai priekšvēlēšanu aģitācijas perioda laikā.” https://www.neplp.lv/lv/vadlinijas-elektronisko-plassazinas-lidzeklu-darbibai-prieksvelesanu-agitacijas-perioda-laika
To what extent can all citizens, both in legal terms (de jure) and in practice (de facto), exercise their right to vote?
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There are no significant barriers, by law or in practice, that hinder citizens or specific groups in society from exercising their right to vote.
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Existing barriers, by law and in practice, pose no significant obstacles to voting.
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Existing barriers, by law and in practice, pose some significant obstacles to voting.
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Existing barriers, by law and in practice, pose various significant obstacles that substantially hinder voting.
All adult Latvian citizens over 18 have voting rights in national elections. EU citizens residing in Latvia can vote in local and European elections. All citizens have access to an effective, impartial, and non-discriminatory voting procedure. Voting procedures ensure that incarcerated persons can also make their electoral choices.
Upon a proposal from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Central Election Commission establishes polling stations in foreign countries in diplomatic or consular missions. Thus, Latvian citizens – including residents of other countries – also have access to voting, as polling stations are created in Latvian diplomatic entities. Voters can vote by mail using the postal voting procedure (Nulle, 2022).
Latvia has a population of non-citizens (approx. 10% or 187,404 persons of the total population in 2023) who do not have the right to vote or stand in elections but are registered and residing in Latvia (Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, 2021). These residents have access to all legal procedures, and the government provides incentives to become full citizens of Latvia.
There are minor obstacles to voting for citizens residing outside Latvia, as diplomatic and consular missions have limited capacity and representation. Thus, Latvian citizens abroad must often travel long distances to reach Latvian diplomatic missions to vote. Mobile EU citizens can also vote in local and European Parliament elections; however, there is limited information available on voting procedures in other EU languages (Valtenbergs et al., 2021).
Election observers of the 2022 parliamentary elections noted that the elections were competitive and pluralistic, with political contestants able to communicate their messages to voters freely (OSCE, 2023). The legal framework for parliamentary elections ensures the organization of democratic elections.
The local elections are also democratic, impartial and non-discriminatory. Voters can participate in local government elections based on their residence or property ownership. The procedure to switch to a more convenient polling station is straightforward. Polling stations open for early voting at least a week before election day.
A voter register updates and stores information on Latvian citizens who have reached 18 years of age on the day of the election to the European Parliament, the local government council, or the Saeima. No irregularities have been observed in the voter registry, as it contains detailed information on the voters that completely excludes double voting.
Citations:
1. The Law on Elections of Saeima. https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/35261-law-on-the-election-of-the-isaeimai
OSCE. 2023. “Latvia, Parliamentary Elections, 1 October 2022: Final Report.” ODIHR Election Assessment Mission Final Report. https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/latvia/541053
3. Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs. 2021. “Natural Persons Register: Statistics.” https://www.pmlp.gov.lv/lv/media/9759/download?attachment
Nulle, A. 2022. “14. Saeimas vēlēšanas – kā balsot, ja esi ārvalstīs.” https://lvportals.lv/skaidrojumi/343180-14-saeimas-velesanas-ka-balsot-ja-esi-arvalstis-2022
Law on the Election of Local Government Councils. https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/57839-law-on-the-election-of-local-government-councils.
Electoral Register Law. https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/83681-electoral-register-law
Valtenbergs, V. et al. 2021. “EU Mobile Citizens in Latvia.” Research Report. Available at https://myvoice.group/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/07/EU-Mobile-Citizens-30.06.2021..pdf
Upon a proposal from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Central Election Commission establishes polling stations in foreign countries in diplomatic or consular missions. Thus, Latvian citizens – including residents of other countries – also have access to voting, as polling stations are created in Latvian diplomatic entities. Voters can vote by mail using the postal voting procedure (Nulle, 2022).
Latvia has a population of non-citizens (approx. 10% or 187,404 persons of the total population in 2023) who do not have the right to vote or stand in elections but are registered and residing in Latvia (Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, 2021). These residents have access to all legal procedures, and the government provides incentives to become full citizens of Latvia.
There are minor obstacles to voting for citizens residing outside Latvia, as diplomatic and consular missions have limited capacity and representation. Thus, Latvian citizens abroad must often travel long distances to reach Latvian diplomatic missions to vote. Mobile EU citizens can also vote in local and European Parliament elections; however, there is limited information available on voting procedures in other EU languages (Valtenbergs et al., 2021).
Election observers of the 2022 parliamentary elections noted that the elections were competitive and pluralistic, with political contestants able to communicate their messages to voters freely (OSCE, 2023). The legal framework for parliamentary elections ensures the organization of democratic elections.
The local elections are also democratic, impartial and non-discriminatory. Voters can participate in local government elections based on their residence or property ownership. The procedure to switch to a more convenient polling station is straightforward. Polling stations open for early voting at least a week before election day.
A voter register updates and stores information on Latvian citizens who have reached 18 years of age on the day of the election to the European Parliament, the local government council, or the Saeima. No irregularities have been observed in the voter registry, as it contains detailed information on the voters that completely excludes double voting.
Citations:
1. The Law on Elections of Saeima. https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/35261-law-on-the-election-of-the-isaeimai
OSCE. 2023. “Latvia, Parliamentary Elections, 1 October 2022: Final Report.” ODIHR Election Assessment Mission Final Report. https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/latvia/541053
3. Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs. 2021. “Natural Persons Register: Statistics.” https://www.pmlp.gov.lv/lv/media/9759/download?attachment
Nulle, A. 2022. “14. Saeimas vēlēšanas – kā balsot, ja esi ārvalstīs.” https://lvportals.lv/skaidrojumi/343180-14-saeimas-velesanas-ka-balsot-ja-esi-arvalstis-2022
Law on the Election of Local Government Councils. https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/57839-law-on-the-election-of-local-government-councils.
Electoral Register Law. https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/83681-electoral-register-law
Valtenbergs, V. et al. 2021. “EU Mobile Citizens in Latvia.” Research Report. Available at https://myvoice.group/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/07/EU-Mobile-Citizens-30.06.2021..pdf
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To what extent do parties articulate and aggregate all societal interests?
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There are no barriers, by law or in practice, to achieving effective societal integration.
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Existing obstacles in the party system, by law and in practice, pose no significant barriers to achieving effective societal integration.
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Existing obstacles in the party system, by law and in practice, pose some significant barriers to achieving effective societal integration.
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Existing obstacles in the party system, by law and in practice, pose various significant barriers to achieving effective societal integration.
Latvia has a multiparty system. Although there are many ethnic groups in Latvia – such as Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Poles, and Lithuanians – the legal framework does not give advantages to any particular group. All citizens and non-citizens can be members of political parties, but only citizens can vote and be elected. Legally, all relevant social interests are represented through political party programs and later in the election process. The legal framework provides a sufficient base for democratic elections.
Political parties in Latvia are often perceived as representing either Latvian or Russian speakers. This ethnic and linguistic divide also aligns with a left-right political spectrum, where parties representing Russians generally lean left (e.g., Stabilitatei). Another cleavage is observed along social values, such as perceptions of the traditional family and political positions on the Istanbul Convention. Overall, political parties elected to parliament or local councils can achieve communication for agreement, though it may occasionally necessitate compromise.
The governing coalition in parliament and the government is dominated by right-wing parties with a liberal approach to the economy and support for the EU. The current government, in power since September 2023, consists of the Jauna Vienotība (a liberal and right-wing party), ZZS – Union of Farmers and Green (a centrist party), and Progresivie (Progressives) (social democrats). Programs and political manifestos are publicly available.
However, the membership size is small for all political parties. At the beginning of 2023, the most significant political parties had membership numbers above 1,000. For example, the Union of Farmers had 1,351 members, Saskaņa (Harmony) had 1,347 members, and Vienotība (Unity) had 2,166 members (Uzņēmumu reģistrs, 2024). The average membership size for regional parties participating in local elections ranges from 200 to 500 (Uzņēmumu reģistrs, 2024). This small membership size hinders political parties from effectively representing societal interests between elections. Consequently, they tend to focus on broad “umbrella type” issues to attract the electorate’s attention during pre-election campaigns.
The major political parties have local branches in the regions of Latvia. However, no distinct local interests shape the parties’ political manifestos. As Latvia is a small, unitary country with a proportional election system, coalitions form the government.
Citations:
The Law on Elections of Saeima. https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/35261-law-on-the-election-of-the-isaeimai
OSCE. 2023. Latvia, Parliamentary Elections, 1 October 2022: Final Report. ODIHR Election Assessment Mission Final Report. https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/latvia/541053
Uzņēmumu reģistrs. 2024. “Informācija par politisko partiju biedru skaitu.” https://www.ur.gov.lv/lv/specializeta-informacija/informacija-par-politisko-partiju-biedru-skaitu/
Political parties in Latvia are often perceived as representing either Latvian or Russian speakers. This ethnic and linguistic divide also aligns with a left-right political spectrum, where parties representing Russians generally lean left (e.g., Stabilitatei). Another cleavage is observed along social values, such as perceptions of the traditional family and political positions on the Istanbul Convention. Overall, political parties elected to parliament or local councils can achieve communication for agreement, though it may occasionally necessitate compromise.
The governing coalition in parliament and the government is dominated by right-wing parties with a liberal approach to the economy and support for the EU. The current government, in power since September 2023, consists of the Jauna Vienotība (a liberal and right-wing party), ZZS – Union of Farmers and Green (a centrist party), and Progresivie (Progressives) (social democrats). Programs and political manifestos are publicly available.
However, the membership size is small for all political parties. At the beginning of 2023, the most significant political parties had membership numbers above 1,000. For example, the Union of Farmers had 1,351 members, Saskaņa (Harmony) had 1,347 members, and Vienotība (Unity) had 2,166 members (Uzņēmumu reģistrs, 2024). The average membership size for regional parties participating in local elections ranges from 200 to 500 (Uzņēmumu reģistrs, 2024). This small membership size hinders political parties from effectively representing societal interests between elections. Consequently, they tend to focus on broad “umbrella type” issues to attract the electorate’s attention during pre-election campaigns.
The major political parties have local branches in the regions of Latvia. However, no distinct local interests shape the parties’ political manifestos. As Latvia is a small, unitary country with a proportional election system, coalitions form the government.
Citations:
The Law on Elections of Saeima. https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/35261-law-on-the-election-of-the-isaeimai
OSCE. 2023. Latvia, Parliamentary Elections, 1 October 2022: Final Report. ODIHR Election Assessment Mission Final Report. https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/latvia/541053
Uzņēmumu reģistrs. 2024. “Informācija par politisko partiju biedru skaitu.” https://www.ur.gov.lv/lv/specializeta-informacija/informacija-par-politisko-partiju-biedru-skaitu/
To what extent do political parties retain their ability to enable cross-party cooperation in policymaking and implementation?
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There are no barriers, by law or in practice, to achieving effective cross-party cooperation.
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Existing obstacles in the party system, by law and in practice, pose no significant barriers to achieving effective cross-party cooperation.
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Existing obstacles in the party system, by law and in practice, pose some significant barriers to achieving effective cross-party cooperation.
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Existing obstacles in the party system, by law and in practice, pose various significant barriers to achieving effective cross-party cooperation.
Political parties elected to parliament or local councils typically reach a consensus during the coalition formation process.
There is a noticeable tendency for political parties to strive for inclusion in the ruling coalition. To achieve this, some parties engage with ideologically different partners, leading to a rapid shift in their ideological positions. This strategy often confuses the electorate (Ikstens, 2023).
A strong division exists between the coalition and the opposition, particularly evident in budgetary processes where the coalition routinely rejects opposition proposals. This pattern was observed during the extended period when the political party Harmony was in opposition and continues with current opposition parties like For Stability! (elected to parliament in 2022) (LSM, 2023).
While cross-party polarization generally does not hinder policy implementation, ideological polarization has occasionally delayed certain policies, such as the use of the Latvian language in education and the ratification of the Istanbul Convention.
Latvian governing coalitions represent liberal, pro-European, and democratic values, enabling them to neutralize anti-democratic trends and influences.
Citations:
OSCE. 2023. Latvia, Parliamentary Elections, 1 October 2022: Final Report. ODIHR Election Assessment Mission Final Report. https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/latvia/541053
Ikstens, J. 2023. “Politiskās partijas Latvijā.” https://enciklopedija.lv/skirklis/25856
LSM. 2023. “Budžets 2024: Saeimas komisijā atbalstu gūst tikai retais opozīcijas priekšlikums.” https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/ekonomika/04.12.2023-budzets-2024-saeimas-komisija-atbalstu-gust-tikai-retais-opozicijas-priekslikums.a534130/
There is a noticeable tendency for political parties to strive for inclusion in the ruling coalition. To achieve this, some parties engage with ideologically different partners, leading to a rapid shift in their ideological positions. This strategy often confuses the electorate (Ikstens, 2023).
A strong division exists between the coalition and the opposition, particularly evident in budgetary processes where the coalition routinely rejects opposition proposals. This pattern was observed during the extended period when the political party Harmony was in opposition and continues with current opposition parties like For Stability! (elected to parliament in 2022) (LSM, 2023).
While cross-party polarization generally does not hinder policy implementation, ideological polarization has occasionally delayed certain policies, such as the use of the Latvian language in education and the ratification of the Istanbul Convention.
Latvian governing coalitions represent liberal, pro-European, and democratic values, enabling them to neutralize anti-democratic trends and influences.
Citations:
OSCE. 2023. Latvia, Parliamentary Elections, 1 October 2022: Final Report. ODIHR Election Assessment Mission Final Report. https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/latvia/541053
Ikstens, J. 2023. “Politiskās partijas Latvijā.” https://enciklopedija.lv/skirklis/25856
LSM. 2023. “Budžets 2024: Saeimas komisijā atbalstu gūst tikai retais opozīcijas priekšlikums.” https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/ekonomika/04.12.2023-budzets-2024-saeimas-komisija-atbalstu-gust-tikai-retais-opozicijas-priekslikums.a534130/
Graph View
To what extent can citizens and residents access official information?
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There are no barriers, by law or in practice, for citizens seeking to access official information.
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Existing barriers, by law and in practice, pose no significant obstacles for citizens seeking to access official information.
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Existing barriers, by law and in practice, pose some significant obstacles for citizens seeking to access official information.
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Existing barriers, by law and in practice, pose many/various significant obstacles for citizens seeking to access official information.
The constitution (Satversme) provides individuals with the right to receive information. According to the constitution, any individual can address the government and local authorities.
The Freedom of Information Act, approved in 1998, aimed to establish the right to request information. Institutions are generally required to provide information within 15 days if no additional data processing or collection is needed. If the agency needs to gather information, a 30-day limit is set for responses. Additionally, individuals generally do not need to justify their need for the information.
All draft laws and draft regulations are available online for free, either on the TAP portal (tapportals.lv) or the parliament database. This enables citizens to follow all stages of the legislative process and provide comments and suggestions.
The numerous tools for public consultation on new legislation set out in government regulation are usually followed in practice. The new government regulation for public participation is expected to be issued in 2024, replacing the current government regulation (No. 970) on public participation and access to information. The new regulations broaden public participation, regardless of whether a person acts as an individual citizen or as an NGO member.
The parliamentary, government, and local council meetings and agendas are publicly available, including online broadcasting.
In addition, numerous regulations target the accountability of public officials and political parties. These regulations govern political-party donations, require public officials to declare their annual income, and mandate transparency in public spending and public procurements.
The Open Data Portal, where institutions can publish relevant data, is based on a proactive information delivery approach.
A new whistleblowing law was introduced in February 2022 to address violations against public interest. Additionally, the Law on Transparency of Interest Representation was approved in January 2023. This law aims to increase transparency in lobbying, including establishing a special lobby register at the State Enterprise Register (Trauksmes celšanas likums, 2023).
Appeal procedures are in place and effective. Residents can appeal government decisions in administrative court.
Citations:
https://tapportals.mk.gov.lv/public_participation/ef4128a0-05fa-44d7-a2b7-6a0ee1c8410b
Open data portal. https://data.gov.lv/lv
Law on Transparency of Interest Representation. https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/336676-law-on-transparency-of-interest-representation
Trauksmes celšanas likums. https://likumi.lv/ta/id/329680-trauksmes-celsanas-likums
The Freedom of Information Act, approved in 1998, aimed to establish the right to request information. Institutions are generally required to provide information within 15 days if no additional data processing or collection is needed. If the agency needs to gather information, a 30-day limit is set for responses. Additionally, individuals generally do not need to justify their need for the information.
All draft laws and draft regulations are available online for free, either on the TAP portal (tapportals.lv) or the parliament database. This enables citizens to follow all stages of the legislative process and provide comments and suggestions.
The numerous tools for public consultation on new legislation set out in government regulation are usually followed in practice. The new government regulation for public participation is expected to be issued in 2024, replacing the current government regulation (No. 970) on public participation and access to information. The new regulations broaden public participation, regardless of whether a person acts as an individual citizen or as an NGO member.
The parliamentary, government, and local council meetings and agendas are publicly available, including online broadcasting.
In addition, numerous regulations target the accountability of public officials and political parties. These regulations govern political-party donations, require public officials to declare their annual income, and mandate transparency in public spending and public procurements.
The Open Data Portal, where institutions can publish relevant data, is based on a proactive information delivery approach.
A new whistleblowing law was introduced in February 2022 to address violations against public interest. Additionally, the Law on Transparency of Interest Representation was approved in January 2023. This law aims to increase transparency in lobbying, including establishing a special lobby register at the State Enterprise Register (Trauksmes celšanas likums, 2023).
Appeal procedures are in place and effective. Residents can appeal government decisions in administrative court.
Citations:
https://tapportals.mk.gov.lv/public_participation/ef4128a0-05fa-44d7-a2b7-6a0ee1c8410b
Open data portal. https://data.gov.lv/lv
Law on Transparency of Interest Representation. https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/336676-law-on-transparency-of-interest-representation
Trauksmes celšanas likums. https://likumi.lv/ta/id/329680-trauksmes-celsanas-likums