On Thursday, 2 June, Latvia’s parliament failed to pass the Civil Union Law due to lack of quorum.
If the 13th Saeima fails to pass this law in its remaining term, the 14th Saeima will be able to continue its review. The 13th Saeima’s term ends this autumn.
During the first two votes on the Civil Union Law there was no quorum in the Saeuma – only 40 deputies participated. For there to be a quorum, at least 50 deputies out of 100 have to participate.
After a ten-minute break 41 deputies participated in two votes.
Due to a shortage of a quorum Saeima speaker Ināra Mūrniece was forced to close yesterday’s meeting of the parliament. On 2 June the Saeima plans to continue its work and tackle issues left from the last meeting.
On 2 June it is also planned to reviews the remaining topics and add new ones to the agenda.
Previously there was confusion about Saeima’s ability to secure a quorum in the vote. In previous readings many deputies who objected to the aforementioned legislative draft would skip votes to sabotage the quorum and prevent the passing of this law.
Vice-chairperson of the Constitutional Court Irēna Kucina explained that until regulations have been improved for the topic of protection of same-sex couples, legislators – institutions and administrative courts – are to apply the Constitution directly.
1 June marked the term for implementation of the rulings of the Constitutional Court on legal recognition of same-sex couples. Until then there were no indications the rulings would be implemented within the term given by the court. Kucina said that with rulings of the Constitutional Court the regulation as far as it does not cover certain rights for same-sex couples is found null and void as of 1 June 2022.
The Administrative District Court, meanwhile, has passed the first ruling in Latvia that satisfied a plea submitted by a same-sex couple and basically recognised ‘public legal existence of such a relationship’. The court concluded that the plaintiffs have a relationship that fits the definition outlined in Section 110 of the Constitution.
In the morning on 2 June close to 100 people gathered for a picket outside the Saeima to protest the legislative draft and promote the concept of natural families.
On Thursday, 26 May, there was a different picket organised in Old Riga near the Saeima. Several hundred protesters came to urge deputies to pass the Civil Union Law.
LGBT and Mozaīka association board member Kaspars Zālītis previously said if the Civil Union Law is not passed, the issue will be taken to an international level court of law.