Election reform: over half of Latvia's parties propose changes to how parliament and president are elected

Ahead of Latvia's October 3 parliamentary elections, more than half of the competing parties have addressed the electoral system in their campaign platforms. According to LV portāls, most criticism of the current system centers on an insufficient connection between voters and elected deputies, producing proposals ranging from minor adjustments to fundamental reform.

The most radical proposal

The party "Mēs mainām noteikumus" (We're Changing the Rules) proposes introducing a single-transferable-vote system: one ballot listing all candidates, ranked by preference, allowing voters to choose across different parties and independents. The party also wants to abolish the 5% threshold for parliamentary entry, divide Latvia into smaller electoral districts of 5–7 deputies each, let the diaspora vote for any district, and eliminate state funding for political parties entirely.

Majoritarian and mixed systems

"Saskaņas Centrs" proposes switching to a majoritarian system with single-member districts, where the candidate winning a majority or plurality of votes takes the seat. It also wants a mechanism for recalling deputies and a pilot e-voting project. "Suverēnā vara"/"Jaunlatvieši" promises a mixed system without specifying a model, along with cutting the Saeima to 50 deputies.

A popularly elected president

The idea of a directly elected president appears in several platforms. "Gobzema saraksts," "Latvija pirmajā vietā," "Stabilitātei!" and "Saskaņas Centrs" all pledge to pursue constitutional amendments so the president would be elected by the public rather than by parliament, as is currently the case.

Other proposed changes

Several parties also address deputies' work conditions and party financing. "JKP" promises to reduce party funding's dependence on election results, "Saskaņas Centrs" proposes a wealth tax on high-earning deputies, while "Stabilitātei!" and "Suverēnā vara" want a smaller parliament. Several parties, including "Jaunā Vienotība," the National Alliance, and "Progresīvie," propose no changes in this area.