A referendum on whether the Saeima should be dissolved early was held in Latvia on 23 July 2011.

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

Valdis Zatlers Valdis Zatlers (born 22 March 1955) is a Latvian politician and former physician who served as the seventh president of Latvia from 2007 to 2011. He won the Latvian presidential election of 31 May 2007. He became President of Latvia on 8 July 2 ...

used his parliamentary dissolution power for the first time in the history of Latvia.Zatlers nolemj rosināt Saeimas atlaišanu
Delfi, 28 May 2011 A "yes/no" vote was held and the referendum passed with 94.3% support.

Background

called the referendum under the power given to him by the constitution on 28 May 2011. Zatlers called the referendum in response to the Saeima's refusal to sanction a search at the home of MP Ainārs Šlesers, leader of Latvia's First Party/Latvian Way and a former cabinet minister. According to the current legal procedure, the referendum on the Saeima's dissolution had to take place no later than two months after the President's decree. The

Constitution of Latvia The Constitution of Latvia ( lv, Satversme) is the fundamental law of the Republic of Latvia. Satversme is the oldest Eastern or Central European constitution still in force and the sixth oldest still-functioning republican basic law in the ...

foresaw that if the people had not supported Zatlers' decision, he would have had to resign from the presidency. This could have created a judicial conundrum, however, since Zatlers' current term expired on 7 July and the Saeima held a

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(in which Zatlers was also a candidate) on 2 June.Zatlers ir Latvijas vēsturē pirmais Saeimas atlaišanas ierosinātājs
Delfi, 28 May 2011 As Zatlers was not reelected, however, this conundrum was avoided.

Background

Opinion polls

Results

References