Events marking the 100 years of Satversme and presidency of Latvia are designed to let people appreciate the role of our constitution and presidency in the life of the nation

On 10 February, Chief of Staff of President of Latvia Egils Levits, Andris Teikmanis,  called a press conference to present Presidential Chancery’s Satversme and presidency 100^th anniversary programme. It is not only an opportunity to celebrate but, more importantly, explore and appreciate the role of our constitution and presidency in the life of the Latvian nation.

‘Satversme is the core legal framework, which helped us maintain our de iure recognition for all these 100 years. It has also been instrumental in our fight to regain freedom. It is still quite progressive even today. Let us not forget that Latvia was one of the first European nations to allow women to vote. Satversme has obviously gone through several transformations, but it is good for the next 100 and even more years,’  Andris Teikmanis, Head of the Presidential Chancer, said to media. ‘And according to Satversme, it is the duty and the right of the president of Latvia to ensure balance between various branches of government: executive, judicial and legislative,’  Mr Teikmanis continued.

Presidential Chancery is one of many organisations that have designed their own 100^th anniversary of Satversme programmes with special events and activities. ‘Events organised by Presidential Chancery  are aimed at encouraging  everyone to think about how our core legal document adopted 100 years ago influences our life today, how we perceive it and how we exercise the freedoms provided by it,’ Andris Teikmanis said. 

For more about Presidential Chancery’s Satversme centenary programme, go to Chancery’s webpage. The closest events are discussion ‘Turning point: 10 years since language referendum’ (11 February) and series of youth debate ‘#Satversme100: future values’, which will kick off on 15 February.

Presidency of Latvia will officially enter into its second century on 14 November. It is the day when the 1^st convocation of Saeima in 1922 elected Jānis Čakste as the first president of Latvia, and thus created the formal framework for the presidency in Latvia. For more about the 100^th anniversary of presidency of Latvia programme offered by Presidential Chancery, go to Chancery’s webpage.

Andris Teikmanis also noted that programmes of both centenaries may change depending on pandemic statistics, as well as political, social and economic situation in Latvia.