The Development of Democracy and Local Governance in Latvia

Abstract

The traditions of autonomous local governments in Latvia between the two world wars were interrupted in the Soviet period. The local council elections held in December 1989 were the first democratic elections in the postwar period. The elections were competitive, with more than one candidate running for each — post, and a majority system was implemented. Local government laws were passed in February 1990 when the Supreme Council of the Latvian SSR government adopted three separate laws on district, city and rural local governments. A short time before the re-establishment of the independent Republic of Latvia — a process in which the local governments played a great role (before Parliament voted on Latvia’s independence, all local government council members met and voiced their support for Latvia’s independence) — the Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia issued laws “On Town/City Municipalities” and “On Rural Municipalities” (April 1991). Subsequently, a new law on regional (district) government was introduced in February 1992. The laws adopted in 1991 and 1992 were oriented more towards the decentralization and strengthening of local self-governments.