The Speaker of the Saeima, Daiga Mieriņa, has admitted that some MPs in the Latvian Parliament struggle with alcohol issues. When asked in an interview with Latvian Television whether she was confident that all MPs would pass an alcohol test if it were introduced, Mieriņa replied: “Probably not.”
When further pressed on what the public should make of such an answer, Mieriņa hesitated slightly and responded: “Well… draw your own conclusions.”
Since October 2023, a public initiative has been collecting signatures on the civic platform ManaBalss.lv, proposing mandatory alcohol testing for MPs, along with penalties for attending work under the influence. So far, only about 1,560 citizens have signed the initiative. To be submitted to Parliament, at least 10,000 signatures are required.
Initiative author Artūrs Tereškovičs stated: “I want to be confident in MPs’ sound judgement when making decisions, especially during plenary sessions.
I also want to reduce the risk of legislation being shaped by individuals with alcohol dependencies.”
He continues:
“That’s why I call for the development and implementation of necessary regulations and procedures for alcohol testing among MPs. Ideally, such tests should be conducted every working day, but mandatory on plenary days. There should also be a penalty for attending Parliament under the influence.
According to the proposal, this would serve two purposes: public assurance that MPs are competent when making critical national decisions and setting an example that zero tolerance for alcohol during work hours is a societal norm. “Rumors, suspicions, and gossip about MPs being intoxicated during working hours undermine public trust and damage the reputation of the Saeima,” the initiative summary states.