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The parliament as an institution elected by the people, by way of representation, embodies the will of the sovereign, an it is a great mandate and responsibility. On Friday, 7 February, Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, opened the discussion "The Legislative Role of the Council of State” and emphasised the need to promote the quality of legislation as much as possible with regards to its content, the sustainability of the State and the fundamental values enshrined in the Constitution. 

"The establishment of a new institution is always a very serious decision to be assessed carefully. We need to understand how this new institution will fit into the current system, what its return will be, how its work will be conducted, who will represent the institution, and what its exact connection with the Parliament is going to be,” said the Speaker of the Saeima, stressing that the added value of the Council of State, an independent advisory institution, may lie in its interaction with the Parliament and society in the phases of drafting and adopting legislation. 

The Speaker of the Saeima pointed out the various challenges posed to the system of parliamentary democracy, including that of Latvia, that also affect the legislative process and quality. Mūrniece underlined that parliamentary fragmentation prevents finding a common view during the legislative process, and also noted the need for strong parties as one of the main prerequisites for the functioning of parliamentary democracy. 

Regarding improvements in the legislative process, the Speaker of the Saeima underscored the role of the Saeima Analytical Service, which was created three years ago, in providing analytical research necessary for the work of MPs. Yet, the current constitutional framework of the legislative process is aimed at providing ex-post assessment.   

The discussion "The Legislative Role of the Council of State” is co-organised by the Saeima, the Chancery of the President of Latvia, and the Constitutional Court with the objective of exchanging views regarding the idea of establishing an independent Council of State in Latvia and its possible impact on improving the quality of legislation. 

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Saeima Press Service