Latvia is a parliamentary democracy and a unitary state. The Constitution of 1922 was reinstated on 21 August 1991, with the USSR recognising Latvia's independence shortly afterwards. Since the administrative territorial reform of Latvia in 2009, the country has been organised into 110 municipalities and 9 cities. All 119 local governments have the same competences aside from the capital city of Rīga, which fulfills a range of additional functions. Regional governments – planning regions – are voluntarily organised by local government cooperation bodies, which are recognised in the legislation.
In Latvia, local government is tasked with voluntary and compulsory competences. Voluntary competences are various and depend on local council decisions based on local policy. Compulsory competences are as follows: the management of public services based on the local policy and the administration of national policies within their local jurisdictions. The highest law on local governance is the European Charter of Local Self Government. Its direct applicability is recognised by the Constitutional Court of Latvia. According to this interpretation, 29 paragraphs of the Charter, which are ratified by the parliament, have the same force as the principle of democratic state in Article 1 of the Latvian Constitution. The Latvian parliament adopted the Law on Local Governments in 1994. Latest amendments to that law were last approved on 19 December 2019 and came into effect on 22 February 2020.
The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, is a unicameral house of 100 representatives elected by direct popular vote. The seats are allocated proportionally for a four-year term among parties who gain more than 5% of valid votes.
The indirectly elected regional level of government had been abolished by 1 July 2009 following the completion of the first stage of administrative reform. During the last year of local reform, the amalgamation and re-organisation of the local administrative system was completed when the Administrative-Territorial Reform Law (ATRL) was abolished, and the Law on Administrative Territories and Populated Areas was introduced instead. According to the Law on Regional Development the regional level of government in Latvia consists of five planning regions, councils of which are indirectly elected by chairs of municipal councils.
These regional governments play an important role in development and spatial planning, organisation of public transport and management of investment programmes, including the European Union funds. However, the planning regions of Latvia are not administrative territorial divisions, since they are not mentioned in the law that prescribes the administrative territorial divisions of Latvia.
Currently (in 2020) a new Administrative-Territorial Reform is being discussed in order to be adopted by the national legislator, Saeima (parliament). The reform aims at developing economically viable administrative territories with local authorities by 2021.
Central level
The State has full legislative powers. Its responsibilities include:
- Maintenance of public order;
- Energy;
- Telecommunications;
- Housing;
- Higher education and science;
- Health;
- Legislation, state administration;
- Taxation;
- Foreign policy; and
- Defence.
The State has shared responsibilities with planning regions in the field of:
- Spatial planning; and
- Public transport.
The State has shared responsibilities with local governments in the field of:
- Spatial planning;
- Infrastructure management;
- Economic policy and development;
- Welfare;
- School education;
- Culture.
Regional level
The Districts (rajoni) were abolished following the 2009 administrative territorial reform and the amalgamation of municipalities.
Planning regions have shared competences with State and local governments:
- Spatial planning; and
- Public transport.
Local level
Competences of the 110 municipalities and 9 cities:
- Registration services (including legislative and administrative power):
- Birth, marriage, death, issuing of administrative documents;
- Adoption matters and trusteeship; and
- Local planning of land use;
- Maintenance of municipal police services:
- Public order and civil defence/protection.
- Environment:
- Water; and
- Waste management.
- Public utilities:
- Water;
- Heating supply and treatment; and
- Waste management / household waste.
- Upkeeping of public areas;
- Assistance to residents with housing issues;
- Education:
- Pre-school;
- Primary education;
- Secondary education; and
- Organisation of continuing education for teaching staff.
- Culture;
- Health:
- Hospital maintenance; and
- Health care (including availability of health care).
- Social welfare:
- Personal social services; and
- Child protection.
- Housing;
- Economic development (facilitation of economic activity);
- Transport:
- Public transport; and
- Local roads.
Additional obligations for the capital city Riga per Section 17 LOSG:
- Support of central government functions:
- National government institutions;
- Reception of Foreign Dignitaries;
- Foreign Diplomatic Missions; and
- Assistance for International Organisations
- Maintenance and development of infrastructure of 'State importance.
