Clashes of Opinion at the Time of Drafting the Satversme of the Republic of Latvia

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the 95^th anniversary of the Satversme of the Republic of Latvia (hereinafter – the Satversme or basic law), adopted on 15 February 1922. According to constant jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Latvia and Latvian legal doctrine, the Satversme must be interpreted as a basic law void of internal contradictions or as “a coherent whole”. This does not apply to the procedure of drafting and adopting the Satversme. Adoption of a number of Articles caused noteworthy debates and clashes of opposite opinions at the Constitutional Assembly (Satversmes Sapulce). In particular, these were Articles on the procedure for electing the President, guarantees for independence of the judicial power, as well as the freedom to strike. This research focuses upon analysis of these issues.