Direct Recall as an Instrument of Political Liability of Public Authorities Before Voters in the Republics of Poland and Latvia

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22364/jull.17.05

Keywords:

direct democracy, accountability of elected officials, direct recall, indirect recall, popular voting, Poland, Latvia

Abstract

The direct and participatory democracy is becoming increasingly popular in recent years in Europe. States are introducing new institutions into their constitutional systems, which, on the one hand, strengthen the ability of citizens to influence decision-making processes and, on the other hand, allow them to control the actions of public authorities. One of such institutions is a “recall”, which provides citizens with the right to recall, by way of voting, the public authorities elected directly by citizens. The institution of recall may take either direct or indirect form. Nevertheless, only a “direct recall” that takes place at the request of citizens can fully satisfy their interests. The direct recall at the national level is a relatively rare institution, hence, Latvian solutions in this area that allow for the recall of parliament before the end of its term may be considered unique, whilst in Poland the institution of direct recall occurs at the local level. Polish experiences with the practice of recalls indicate that for this institution to function effectively, it is necessary to adopt appropriate legal regulations. For example, the high turnout threshold adopted in both countries, which determines the binding nature of the vote, may be a factor that significantly reduces the effectiveness of this measure. The authors present the current legal regulations concerning the institution of direct recall in both states, as well as provide their critical assessment.

Author Biographies

  • Andrzej Jackiewicz, University of Białystok

    Dr. hab.
    University of Białystok
    Associate Professor, Faculty of Law

  • Anna Rytel-Warzocha, University of Gdańsk

    Dr. hab. 
    University of Gdańsk
    Associate Professor, Faculty of Law and Administration

References

Banaszak, B. Konstytucja Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej. Komentarz[Constitution of the Republic of Poland. Commentary]. Warszawa, 2009.

Jarinovska, K. Popular Initiatives as Means of Altering the Core of the Republic of Latvia. Juridica International, No. XX, 2013.

Jackiewicz, A. Re-enactment of the territorial self-government in Poland during transformation. In: Jurisprudence and culture: past lessons and future challenges. The 5th International Scientific Conference of the University of Latvia: dedicated to the 95th Anniversary of the Faculty of Law of the University of Latvia, 10–11 November 2014, Torgans, K., Pleps, J. (eds). Riga, 2014.

Jackiewicz, A. The constitutional and statutory basis for the local referendum in Poland, In: Evolution of constitutionalism in the selected states of Central and Eastern Europe, Matwiejuk, J., Prokop, K. (eds). Białystok, 2010.

Jackiewicz, A. Recall na Łotwie [Recall in Latvia]. Przegląd Prawa Konstytucyjnego, No. 2, 2018.

Jackiewicz, A. Referendum w sprawie rozwiązania parlamentu na Łotwie z 2011 roku [Referendum on the dissolution of the Latvian Parliament, 2011]. Przegląd Prawa Konstytucyjnego, No. 5, 2017.

Karklina, A. Rights of the Entirety of Citizens in Legislative Process in Latvia. Curentul Juridic, Vol. 57, No. 2, 2015.

Kryszeń, G. Referendum jako instytucja demokracji bezpośredniej [Referendum as an institution of direct democracy]. Białystok, 2020.

Lijphart, A. Democracies: Patterns of Majoritarian and Consensus Government in Twenty-One Countries. New Haven, 1984. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt1ww3w2t

Macgregor Burns, J., Peltason, J. W., Cronin, T., Magleby, D. Government by The People. New York, 2000.

Piasecki, A. Ewolucje referendum w sprawie oddziaływania organu samorządu terytorialnego [Evolution of the referendum in the impact of the local government body]. Homo Politicus, Vol.12, 2017. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25312/2391-5110.12/2017_153-167

Rodina, A., Pleps, J. Constitutionalism in Latvia: Reality and Developments. In: New Millennium Constitutionalism: Paradigms of Reality and Challenges, Yerevan, 2013.

Ruus, J. Democratic participation at the local level in post-soviet states. In: Local Direct Democracy in Europe, Schiller, T. (ed.). Wiesbaden, 2011. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-531-92898-2_17

Rytel-Warzocha, A. Referendum lokalne w Polsce w świetle aktualnych regulacji prawnych i proponowanych zmian [Local referendum in Poland in the light of current legal regulations and proposed changes]. Przegląd Prawa Konstytucyjnego, No. 2, 2020.

Serdült, U., Welp, Y. The leveling up of a political institution. Perspectives on the recall referendum. In: Ruth, S., Welp, Y. and Whitehead, L. Let the people rule? Direct democracy in the twenty-first century. Colchester, 2017.

Skoczylas, A., Piątek, T. Komentarz do artykułu 164 [Commentary on Article 164]. In: Konstytucja RP. Komentarz T. II, Safjan, M., Bosek, L. (eds).Warszawa, 2016.

Skoczylas, A., Piątek, T. Komentarz do Art. 170. In: Konstytucja RP. Komentarz T. II, Safjan, M., Bosek, L. (eds). Warszawa, 2016.

Urdze, S. Latvia. In: Constitutional Politics in Central and Eastern Europe. From Post-Socialist Transition to the Reform of Political Systems, Fruhstorfer, A., Hein, M. (eds). Wiesbaden, 2016. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-13762-5_17

Uziębło, P. Ustawa o referendum lokalnym. Komentarz[Local Referendum Act. Commentary]. Warszawa, 2008.

Uziębło, P. Demokracja partycypacyjna [Participatory democracy]. Gdańsk, 2009.

Qvortrup, M. Hasta la Vista: A comparative institutionalist analysis of the recall. Representation, Vol. 47, No. 2, July 2011. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00344893.2011.581067

Zimmerman, J. F. The Recall: Tribunal of the People. Albany, 2014. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/9781438449272

Constitution of the Republic of Poland of 2 April 1997, Official Journal of Laws „Dziennik Ustaw”, 1997, No. 78, item 483. Available: https://www.sejm.gov.pl/prawo/konst/polski/kon1.htm [last viewed 17.06.2024].

Latvijas Republikas Satversme [The Constitution of the Republic of Latvia] (15.02.1922). Available: http://saeima.lv/en/about-saeima/work-of-the-saeima/constitution/ [last viewed 17.06.2024].

Act of 24 July 1998 on the Introduction of the Basic Three-Tier Territorial Division of the State, Official Journal of Laws „Dziennik Ustaw”, No. 96, item 603, 1998.

Act of 5 June 1998 on Poviat Local Government. Consolidated text: Official Journal of Laws „Dziennik Ustaw” item 511, 2019.

Act of 5 June 1998 on Voivodeship Local Government, Consolidated text: Official Journal of Laws „Dziennik Ustaw” item 512, 2019.

The Act of 8 March 1990 on the Municipal Local Government, Consolidated text: Official Journal of Laws „Dziennik Ustaw”, items 559, 583, 2022.

Act of 15 September 2000 on the Local Referendum, Official Journal of Laws “Dziennik Ustaw”, No. 88 item 985, 2000.

Act of 5 January 2011 – Electoral Code. Consolidated text: Official Journal of Laws „Dziennik Ustaw” item 1319, 2020.

Par Tautas Nobalsošanu, Likumu Ierosināšanu un Eiropas Pilsoņu Iniciatīvu [On the People’s Vote, the Proposal for a Law and the European Citizens’ Initiative], Latvijas Vēstnesis, No. 47(178), 20.04.1994.

The judgement of the Constitutional Tribunal of 26 February 2003 (K 30/02).

The judgement of the Provincial Administrative Court in Gorzów Wielkopolski of 8 March 2017 (ref. II SA/Go 19/17).

Downloads

Published

2024-10-27

How to Cite

Jackiewicz, A., & Rytel-Warzocha, A. (2024). Direct Recall as an Instrument of Political Liability of Public Authorities Before Voters in the Republics of Poland and Latvia. Journal of the University of Latvia. Law, 17, 80-93. https://doi.org/10.22364/jull.17.05