Latvia's Constitution: Key Facts and Useful Sources on the Satversme

The Satversme, the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia, came into force on 7 November 1922 at noon, when the 1st Saeima (parliament) held its first sitting. The news portal LV portāls has used the date to recap key facts about how the document came about and to point readers to sources with more detail.

How the Satversme was drafted

The text was adopted in its final reading on 15 February 1922 by the Constituent Assembly, Latvia's first democratically elected legislature, which first convened on 1 May 1920. The adopted first part contained 88 articles in seven chapters and set out how state power is organised. The assembly rejected a second part on citizens' rights and duties on 5 February 1922. A chapter on fundamental human rights was added on 15 October 1998. The biggest disagreements during drafting concerned the office of the President, including how the president would be elected and what powers the post would have.

To manage the transition, a separate law on the constitution's entry into force was passed on 20 June 1922. The Satversme was promulgated in the official gazette Valdības Vēstnesis on 30 June, together with laws on Saeima elections and on referendums and legislative initiatives. A legal act becomes binding only once it is published in an official publication.

Age and amendments

The Satversme is among the oldest constitutions in force in Europe; only eight countries, including San Marino, the Netherlands and Norway, have older ones. Its text is short and technical. Over a century it has been amended 15 times: 28 new articles were added, the preamble and 30 articles were changed, and one article was removed. Between 1990 and 1993 the constitution was restored after its operation had been suspended for more than fifty years because of Soviet occupation.

The first Saeima election

Turnout was 800,840 people, or 82.2% of eligible residents. The Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party won with 241,047 votes, followed by the Latvian Farmers' Union with 132,764. Voters changed candidate lists on 19.79% of ballots. Unlike the Constituent Assembly, which had six women, the 1st Saeima had none.

Where to learn more

The source lists likumi.lv, with Constitutional Court rulings and explanatory videos; the LV portal's "Satversme" section; the youth book "Satversme kabatā"; Jurista Vārds journal articles; the film "Atver Satversmi"; and a collection of 51 essays on core constitutional concepts.