Local self-government in Latvia

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Local self-government in Latvia
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Latvijas Republika

• Area 64589 km²
• Population 2 310 000 inhabitants
• Density 35.7 inhabitants/km²
• Capital-city Riga

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Territorial organization A Unitary state
divided into

• 4 provinces
• - Vizdeme
• - Zemgale
• - Kurzeme
• - Latgale

• 2 types of local authorities
• - 530 communes (pasvaldiba)
• - 26 districts (rajons)

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Institutional organization national, regional
and local levels
national level unicameral parliament (Saeima, legislative power) President of the Republic Government (executive power) Prime Minister, vice-Prime Ministers, ministers State Audit Committee Constitutional Court (judicial power), three-levelled judicial system, judges are appointed by Parliament
regional level 26 districts (rajons) with a district council, a council president. Ministry for Regional Development and Local Authorities, State audit committee 7 urban areas
local level 530 municipalities - 7 agglomerations (Republikas pilseta) - 53 cities (pilseta) - 444 parishes (pagasts) - 26 areas (novads) Ministry for regional development and local authorities, State audit committee
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Decentralization process

• 1994 Act on local authorities
• Completed by
• - 1995 and 1998 Acts on financial equalisation
• - 2001 Act on delegation of public services
• - 2002 Act on local budgets
• 1998 Reform Act on territorial division
• Regionalization is still being discussed

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Local Government in Latvia

• Local government system
• 1.1. Local government law
• 1.2. Local government organisation

• 2. Local policies
• 2. 1. Responsibilities
• 2. 2. Means

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1. 1. Local Government Law

• Constitution of the Republic of Latvia 1922
  (articles 25 and 101)
• 1994 Act on Local Government
• European Charter of Local Self-Government (1985)
• Local authorities regulate by decrees

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1. 2. Local Government Organisation

• 1. 2. 1. How local representatives are designated
• 1. 2. 2. Their duties
• 1. 2. 3. Their status
• 1. 2. 4. How they are controlled

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1. 2. 1. How local representatives are elected or
appointed ?
Councillors Municipal council Direct universal suffrage, proportional list system District council Indirect suffrage (presidents of the municipal councils)
Council president and vice-president Elected at a majority-vote, within the council
Chief-Executive Municipal council appointed at a majority-vote by the council, after the council president proposes names - District council No specific body, president and vice-president are in charge of the executive power
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1. 2. 2. Local representatives duties
Council members - to attend the Council and the committees meetings - to control that the councils decisions are enacted - to assess citizens complaints and requests (within one month)
Council president - manages the work of the deliberative body - coordinates the agenda of the commissions - is the link between central government and local authorities - represents the council before courts
Chief of the executive - controls that the councils rules and decisions are enacted - heads the managers of the local authoritys departments - makes recommendations to the council regarding illegal or unnecessary decisions that may be taken by the local authority's organs
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1. 2. 3. Local representatives status

• Eligibility requirements
• Loss of rights
• Incompatibility
• Accumulation of mandates

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1. 2. 4. Controlling local representatives

• 2 types of control
• Legal control by the Minister for Regional
  Development and Local Authorities
• Financial control stated by
• - 1994 Act on local authorities
• - 1998 Act on local and regional financial
  stability

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2. Local public policies

• 2. 1. Local government responsibilities
• 2. 2. Local government means

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2. 1. Local authorities responsabilities
Skills Communes Districts
Civil status
Law and order
Urbanism
Water and wastewater
Household waste
Energy distribution
Transport
Road network
Green spaces
Housing
Health
Social services
Education
Culture
Sport and leisure
Economic development
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2. 2. Local authorities means

• 2. 2. 1. Human resources
• 2. 2. 2. Financial resources

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2. 2. 1. Human Resources

• Local and Regional Government Act Only the
  council decides upon its structure, staff and
  salaries
• The national civil service status is not for
  local and regional government staff, only for
  central government staff.
• Local government staff are usually contacted out
  (under public law contracts)

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2. 2. 2. Financial resources

• 2. 2. 2. 1. Local revenues
• 2. 2. 2. 2. Local expenditure

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2. 2. 2. 1. Local revenues

• Own fiscal revenues
• Devolved fiscal revenues
• General and specific subsidies
• Local loan

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2. 2. 2. 2. Local expenditure
Financial index Financial index
Local public expenditure / GDP 9.5
Local public expenditure / Total public expenditure 26.5
Public capital spending / GDP 0.8
Public capital spending / Total capital spending 8.8

• In 2007, local expenditure accounted for 1300
  million Euros 562 Euros per citizen
• In 2002, the largest portion of local expenditure
  was dedicated to education
• Today, the largest portion is for law and order
  (533 millions Euros) and health (310 millions
  Euros)