On Thursday, 30 October, the Saeima adopted in the final reading an urgent draft law providing for Latvia’s withdrawal from the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention).

Latvia and Denmark share a common understanding of the security situation in Europe and a united vision of the region’s future development. We are committed to working closely together in order to meet challenges and to strengthen our collective defence capabilities, Speaker of the Saeima, Daiga Mieriņa, emphasised during an official reception at the Latvian Parliament in honour of Their Majesties King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark on Tuesday, 28 October.

“We are truly proud and grateful to have such outstanding and inspiring individuals here in Latvia who, through selfless action, help those in need and elevate Latvia’s name on the international stage,” said Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima, on Friday, October 17, as she expressed gratitude to representatives of civil society for their support of Ukraine. Ukrainian State awards were presented today at the Saeima to Liene Dambiņa, President of the Children's Hospital Foundation in Latvia, and NGO “Agendum” for their significant contributions in providing aid to Ukraine during the war. Deputy Speaker Kalniņa-Lukaševica presented the awards together with Edvards Smiltēns, Secretary of the Saeima, and Vasyl Kniazevych, Head of the Honourable Council of the Ukrainian Order of Saint Panteleimon.

Emphasising the State’s obligation to protect women and children from all forms of violence and to promote gender equality, on Thursday, October 16, the Saeima adopted a declaration on the prevention and elimination of domestic violence and violence against women.

On Tuesday, 14 October, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima, participated in the international conference “Facing the Odds: Democratic Resilience in Action” in Prague, where she discussed the future of democracy and the threat of global escalation posed by Russia and China.

The Latvian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA) recently participated in its Annual Session held in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Latvian parliamentarians highlighted the importance of building a drone wall and increasing defence funding. During the plenary sitting of the Assembly, parliamentarians adopted six resolutions, including on preparing NATO for the future of uncrewed warfare, and on solidarity with Ukraine and the imperative for a just and lasting peace. The Latvian delegation also met with Canadian parliamentarians to discuss the current state of cooperation.

National parliaments are an integral part of building a strong future for Europe. By drawing more on experience and insight of national parliaments, we can ensure a closer connection with our citizens and their needs, said Speaker of the Saeima Daiga Mieriņa during her meeting with President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola on Friday, 10 October.

On Thursday, 9 October, the Saeima adopted a statement condemning the decision of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to restore full participation of Russia and Belarus in the Paralympic movement.

On Thursday, 9 October, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima, took part in a discussion, titled “Strengthening the Case for WB Enlargement: How can the Baltics Help?”, held during the Rīga Conference 2025—the largest security and foreign policy forum in the Nordic region. The discussion focused on analysing the situation in the Western Balkans and exploring how the Baltic States can contribute and support the region’s path toward EU membership, as well as help counter threats, mainly Russia’s destabilizing efforts, along the way.

On Thursday, 9 October, the Saeima adopted urgent amendments to the Law on Pollution, which stipulate that fuel and heating operators will be required to gradually reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to limit climate change.