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Recognition of same-sex unions in Latvia

Latvia does not recognize same-sex marriage. On 9 November 2023, the Saeima passed legislation establishing same-sex civil unions, which was subsequently signed into law by President Edgars Rinkēvičs in January 2024.[1] The law is scheduled to take effect on 1 July 2024.

On 12 November 2020, the Constitutional Court of Latvia ruled that the Latvian Constitution entitles same-sex couples to receive the benefits and protections afforded by Latvian law to married opposite-sex couples, and gave the Saeima until 1 June 2022 to enact a law protecting same-sex couples. In December 2021, the Supreme Court ruled that should the Saeima fail to pass civil union legislation before the 1 June 2022 deadline, same-sex couples may apply to a court to have their relationship recognized. The Saeima failed to meet this deadline, and the first same-sex union was recognized by the Administrative District Court on 30 May 2022.

Civil unions edit

Background edit

On 23 September 1999, the Latvian National Human Rights Office introduced a registered partnership bill to the Saeima. On 28 September 1999, the proposal was sent to the Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee of the Saeima for discussion,[2][3] but it was rejected by the commission on 30 November 1999.[4] In January 2012, the Ombudsman's Office (the renamed National Human Rights Office since 2007) recommended that the Parliament rejected registered partnership legislation.[5] However, after Baltic Pride in June 2012, it was revealed that the Ministry of Justice, led by Gaidis Bērziņš, was considering whether to recognise same-sex partnerships, either as unregistered cohabitation or registered partnerships. Defence Minister Artis Pabriks expressed his support for registered partnerships.[6] Mozaika, Latvia's largest LGBT rights organisation, estimated it would take approximately five years to obtain enough political support to pass the bill.[7]

In November 2014, while commenting on the coming out of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs, and on his call for the recognition of same-sex relationships in Latvia, Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma reaffirmed her support for the constitutional prohibition on same-sex marriage. She also admitted that "Latvian law has not yet resolved the question of partner-relationships", explaining that the non-recognition of unmarried couples "affects many in Latvia" regardless of sexual orientation and that protection of such families "needs to be discussed by both the community and the Saeima".[8] On 30 January 2015, Veiko Spolītis, an MP from the New Unity party, submitted a bill to modify the Civil Code to legally recognise same-sex partnerships. The proposed law would have allowed "any two persons" to register their partnership and enjoy almost all of the rights and obligations of marriage.[9][10] The proposal was rejected by the Legal Affairs Committee of the Saeima on 24 February 2015.[11][12]

On 23 March 2015, the chairperson of For Latvia's Development, Juris Pūce, launched a signature collection campaign on ManaBalss.lv, calling for the passage of a cohabitation law in Latvia.[13] The signatures were submitted to the Saeima in January 2018. In March 2018, the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee recommended 5–4 that the initiative be rejected by the Saeima; 5 out of the 9 committee members voted to recommend rejection, while the 4 others wanted further consideration.[14] In October 2018, the ombudsman called on lawmakers to pass a partnership law for both opposite-sex and same-sex couples, citing statistics showing that about half of Latvian children were born out of wedlock, and arguing that these families should enjoy legal protection.[15] On 20 June 2019, MPs voted against sending the bill to further discussion and review in parliamentary committees; only 23 members voted for the bill, 60 voted against it and one member abstained. The Development/For! and New Unity parties and some Social Democrats supported the bill, while the remaining Social Democrats, Who Owns the State?, the New Conservative Party, the National Alliance and the Union of Greens and Farmers as well as several independents were opposed.[16][17][18][19] Supporters of the bill said they would "persevere" and persuade lawmakers to discuss it again in the future.[20][21]

20 June 2019 vote in the Saeima[22]
Party Voted for Voted against Abstained Absent (Did not vote)
  Harmony
6
  • Valērijs Agešins
  • Boriss Cilevičs
  • Vjačeslavs Dombrovskis
  • Regīna Ločmele
  • Evija Papule
  • Igors Pimenovs
11
  • Jānis Ādamsons
  • Inga Goldberga
  • Andrejs Klementjevs
  • Ivans Klementjevs
  • Jānis Krišāns
  • Edgars Kucins
  • Vladimirs Nikonovs
  • Vitālijs Orlovs
  • Ivans Ribakovs
  • Artūrs Rubiks
  • Jānis Tutins
1
  • Nikolajs Kabanovs
4
  • Sergejs Dolgopolovs
  • Ļubova Švecova
  • Jānis Urbanovičs
  • Ivars Zariņš
  New Conservative Party -
15
  • Dagmāra Beitnere-Le Galla
  • Uldis Budriķis
  • Jānis Butāns
  • Jānis Cielēns
  • Gatis Eglītis
  • Krišjānis Feldmans
  • Andris Kazinovskis
  • Anita Muižniece
  • Linda Ozola
  • Juris Rancāns
  • Sandis Riekstiņš
  • Juta Strīķe
  • Evita Zālīte-Grosa
  • Reinis Znotiņš
  • Normunds Žunna
-
1
  • Juris Jurašs[a]
  Development/For!
11
  • Dace Bluķe
  • Mārtiņš Bondars
  • Marija Golubeva
  • Daniels Pavļuts
  • Artūrs Toms Plešs
  • Dace Rukšāne-Ščipčinska
  • Andris Skride
  • Mārtiņš Staķis
  • Mārtiņš Šteins
  • Vita Anda Tērauda
  • Inese Voika
- -
2
  • Ilmārs Dūrītis
  • Inese Ikstena
  National Alliance -
11
  • Jānis Dombrava
  • Raivis Dzintars
  • Jānis Iesalnieks
  • Ilze Indriksone
  • Ritvars Jansons
  • Rihards Kols
  • Janīna Kursīte-Pakule
  • Ināra Mūrniece
  • Romāns Naudiņš
  • Edvīns Šnore
  • Edmunds Teirumnieks
-
1
  • Aleksandrs Kiršteins
  Who Owns the State? -
10
  • Iveta Benhena-Bēkena
  • Aivars Geidāns
  • Kaspars Ģirģens
  • Artuss Kaimiņš
  • Ieva Krapāne
  • Janīna Kursīte
  • Ramona Petraviča
  • Ēriks Pucens
  • Ivars Puga
  • Jānis Vitenbergs
-
2
  • Aldis Blumbergs
  • Atis Zakatistovs[a]
  Union of Greens and Farmers -
7
  • Uldis Augulis
  • Raimonds Bergmanis
  • Jānis Dūklavs
  • Janīna Jalinska
  • Armands Krauze
  • Māris Kučinskis
  • Viktors Valainis
-
4
  • Anda Čakša
  • Gundars Daudze
  • Dana Reizniece-Ozola
  • Jānis Vucāns
  New Unity
6
  • Arvils Ašeradens
  • Andrejs Judins
  • Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš
  • Rihards Kozlovskis
  • Atis Lejiņš
  • Inese Lībiņa-Egnere
- -
2
  • Aldis Adamovičs
  • Ainars Latkovskis
  Independents -
6
  • Aldis Gobzems
  • Linda Liepiņa
  • Inguna Rībena
  • Karina Sprūde
  • Jūlija Stepaņenko
  • Didzis Šmits
- -
Total 23 60 1 16

On 29 October 2020, the Saeima voted 55–30 to reject a popular initiative entitled "Registration of same-sex partners" (Viendzimuma partneru reģistrēšana),[23] which called for the passage of a civil union law and had been signed by 10,392 citizens.[24] That same day, the authors of the initiative started a new petition, called "For Legal Protection of All Families" (Par Visu Ģimeņu Tiesisko Aizsardzību), which had been signed by 23,392 citizens by March 2022.[25]

Constitutional Court ruling and proposed legislation edit

On 12 November 2020, the Constitutional Court of Latvia ruled that the labour law violated Article 110 of the Constitution of Latvia, as it did not provide parental leave to the non-biological parent in a same-sex relationship. Although Article 110 has defined marriage as "a union between a man and a woman" since 2006, the term "family" is not explicitly defined. The court held that the family is not solely a union based on marriage, but a social institution formed by close personal ties based on understanding and respect. The court ruled that the Constitution requires the state to protect same-sex partners, and gave the Saeima until 1 June 2022 to amend the labour law and introduce a measure to legally protect same-sex couples.[26] The Supreme Court ruled in December 2021 that should the government fail to provide a way for same-sex partners to register their relationship by the 1 June deadline, couples would be able to have their relationship recognized by a court.[27] On 2 February 2022, the Ministry of Justice, led by Dzintars Rasnačs, presented a civil union bill that would have provided same-sex couples with some of the rights and benefits of marriage.[28] The second largest parliamentary group in the Saeima, the New Conservative Party, announced its support for the bill, despite the party having opposed all previous attempts to establish civil unions. The leader of the Social Democratic Party, Jānis Urbanovičs, also indicated that the bill might receive broader support from the members of his parliamentary group.[29]

On 31 March 2022, the Saeima sent the civil union bill to the Legal Affairs Committee and approved it in first reading, with those opposed boycotting the vote in hopes that the Saeima would fail to meet the necessary quorum, but ultimately failing with exactly half of all MPs participating in the vote.[30]

31 March 2022 vote in the Saeima[31]
Party Voted for Voted against Abstained Absent (Did not vote)
  Harmony
4
  • Boriss Cilevičs
  • Inga Goldberga
  • Regīna Ločmele
  • Igors Pimenovs
7
  • Andrejs Klementjevs
  • Jānis Krišāns
  • Edgars Kucins
  • Vladimirs Nikonovs
  • Vitālijs Orlovs
  • Ivans Ribakovs
  • Artūrs Rubiks
2
  • Sergejs Dolgopolovs
  • Nikolajs Kabanovs
5
  • Valerijs Agešins
  • Ivans Klementjevs
  • Jānis Tutins
  • Zenta Tretjaka
  • Jānis Urbanovičs
  New Conservative Party
12
  • Ainars Baškis
  • Uldis Budriķis
  • Jānis Butāns
  • Jānis Cielēns
  • Krišjānis Feldmans
  • Līva Kreituse
  • Eva Mārtuža
  • Linda Medne
  • Juris Rancāns
  • Sandis Riekstiņš
  • Reinis Znotiņš
  • Normunds Žunna
- -
4
  • Ieva Akuratere
  • Dagmāra Beitnere-Le Galla
  • Aivars Geidāns
  • Evita Zālīte-Grosa
  Development/For!
11
  • Krista Baumane
  • Mārtiņš Bondars
  • Ilmārs Dūrītis
  • Viesturs Liepkalns
  • Juris Pūce
  • Dace Rukšāne-Ščipčinska
  • Andris Skride
  • Mārtiņš Šteins
  • Vita Anda Tērauda
  • Inese Voika
  • Gatis Zamurs
- -
1
  • Aigars Bikše
  National Alliance - - -
12
  • Jānis Dombrava
  • Raivis Dzintars
  • Jānis Iesalnieks
  • Ilze Indriksone
  • Ritvars Jansons
  • Aleksandrs Kiršteins
  • Rihards Kols
  • Janīna Kursīte-Pakule
  • Ināra Mūrniece
  • Ivars Puga
  • Edvīns Šnore
  • Edmunds Teirumnieks
  Union of Greens and Farmers - - -
11
  • Uldis Augulis
  • Raimonds Bergmanis
  • Gundars Daudze
  • Jānis Dūklavs
  • Janīna Jalinska
  • Armands Krauze
  • Māris Kučinskis
  • Edgars Tavars
  • Didzis Šmits
  • Viktors Valainis
  • Jānis Vucāns
  New Unity
9
  • Arvils Ašeradens
  • Iveta Benhena-Bēkena
  • Anda Čakša
  • Andrejs Judins
  • Rihards Kozlovskis
  • Ainars Latkovskis
  • Atis Lejiņš
  • Inese Lībiņa-Egnere
  • Kārlis Šadurskis
- -
2
  • Aldis Adamovičs
  • Aldis Blumbergs
  The Independents - - -
6
  • Aldis Gobzems
  • Ieva Krapāne
  • Māris Možvillo
  • Ralfs Nemiro
  • Ramona Petraviča
  • Karina Sprūde
  Independents
5
  • Vjačeslavs Dombrovskis
  • Artuss Kaimiņš
  • Evija Papule
  • Ilga Šuplinska
  • Atis Zakatistovs
- -
9
  • Jānis Ādamsons
  • Kaspars Ģirģens
  • Janīna Kursīte
  • Māris Mičerevskis
  • Romāns Naudiņš
  • Ēriks Pucens
  • Inguna Rībena
  • Jūlija Stepaņenko
  • Ļubova Švecova
Total 41 7 2 50

The bill's final reading was blocked on 2 June due to a lack of quorum, as only 40 MPs participated in the vote, and Speaker Ināra Mūrniece ended the parliamentary session without the bill being passed. The legislation was placed on the agenda for a future sitting of Parliament, and needed to pass before the parliamentary election held on 1 October 2022. As a result, the 1 June deadline by the Constitutional Court expired, meaning that same-sex couples could now apply with a court to request recognition of their relationship and enjoy some of the benefits and obligations offered by marriage. The Vice-President of the Constitutional Court, Irēna Kucina, said that "institutions and administrative courts will apply the Constitution directly". On 30 May, the Administrative District Court in Riga granted the first application from a same-sex couple and recognised the "public legal existence" of their relationship, concluding that the couple has a "relationship that fits the definition outlined in Article 110 of the Constitution". The court lamented that the Saeima had not "fulfilled its duty".[32][33][34] The Administrative District Court had recognized four same-sex couples by 8 July 2022,[35] and 16 couples by 28 October 2022.[36]

The proposed legislation in the Saeima would have established civil unions (Latvian: civilā savienība, pronounced [ˈtsivilaː ˈsaviɛniːba])[b] providing some of the rights, obligations and benefits of marriage, including in the areas of inheritance and tax. The bill would have also allowed same-sex partners to obtain information on the health of a hospitalised partner and make emergency health decisions, receive benefits in the event their partner dies, and claim care for their partner in the event that they have a disability. Civil unions would have been open to all adult citizens and non-residents of Latvia, including refugees and stateless people, but would not have been allowed to persons who are already married, in another civil union or who are blood relatives or related by adoption. They would have been registered and dissolved using a procedure similar to that for civil marriage. However, the bill would have not allowed same-sex couples to share a common surname or to adopt. In addition, parties to a civil union would not have automatically become heirs to the common property, but the partners would have been able to draw up a will or a contract of inheritance to legally contract for how their protected common property would have been divided before any eventual separation.[37]

On 6 December 2022, following the October elections and the formation of a new government, the Legal Affairs Committee rejected the proposed civil union bill. However, registering a relationship with the courts was still possible.[38] In January 2023, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights ruled in Fedotova and Others v. Russia that Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees a right to private and family life, places a positive obligation on all member states of the Council of Europe to recognize same-sex partnerships.[39]

Passage of legislation in 2023 edit

Following Krišjānis Kariņš' resignation as prime minister in August 2023, a new government, led by Prime Minister Evika Siliņa and consisting of the New Unity, the Union of Greens and Farmers and The Progressives, was sworn in on 15 September 2023. A political analyst said, "The most significant policy shift could be the new government’s intention to legislate on human rights, such as to try to allow marriages for same-sex couples."[40] Kaspars Briškens, party leader of The Progressives, said there is "a willingness [in the government] to work on a new Law on Cohabitation for same-sex persons".[41]

On 26 October 2023, the New Unity party proposed a newly-drafted legislative package recognising same-sex unions. The legislation would establish civil unions providing some, but not all, of the rights and benefits of marriage. On 30 October, Prime Minister Siliņa announced that the coalition government had decided to support the bill, and that there was unanimous support for the legislation from The Progressives and the Union of Greens and Farmers, as well as Independent MP Oļegs Burovs, who had previously stated his opposition to same-sex unions.[42] On 2 November, the legislation passed its first reading in the Saeima by a 53–40 vote, with all 52 coalition MPs and Burovs voting in favour.[43] On 9 November, the legislation passed its second and final reading in the Saeima by a 53–43 vote.[44]

However, 34 opposition MPs tabled a motion, as provided for by the Latvian Constitution, asking President Edgars Rinkēvičs to delay promulgating the bill until January 2024. Opponents were seeking to collect 154,241 signatures (10% of voters) in order to proceed with a referendum on the civil union law. Rinkēvičs reacted, "This [suspension of publication of the law] will be done in accordance with the Constitution. Saeima deputies have the right to exercise their constitutional rights, and now, the society, citizens of Latvia, have two months to support this idea or not." Siliņa welcomed the law's passage, tweeting, "This is a good day. Society has taken an important step in creating a modern and humane Latvia."[45] The Central Election Commission reported on 26 December that only 16,170 signatures had been collected by then.[46] By the deadline on 5 January 2024, only 35,191 signatures had been collected, meaning the referendum initiative failed.[47][48] The law was subsequently signed by Rinkēvičs and is scheduled to take effect on 1 July 2024.[49]

Same-sex marriage edit

 
Laws regarding same-sex partnerships in Europe¹
  Marriage
  Civil union
  Limited domestic recognition (cohabitation)
  Limited foreign recognition (residency rights)
  Unrecognized
  Constitution limits marriage to opposite-sex couples
¹ May include recent laws or court decisions that have not yet entered into effect.

Constitution edit

In December 2005, the Saeima voted 65–5 to approve an amendment to the Constitution of Latvia banning same-sex marriage.[50] The amendment took effect on 17 January 2006. Article 110 reads:[51] "The State shall protect and support marriage — a union between a man and a woman, the family, the rights of parents and rights of the child".[c]

Court cases edit

2018 European Court of Justice ruling edit

On 5 June 2018, the European Court of Justice ruled that member states of the European Union (EU) must recognise the freedom of movement and residency rights of same-sex spouses, provided one partner is an EU citizen.[53][54][55] The court ruled that EU member states may choose whether or not to allow same-sex marriage, but they cannot obstruct the freedom of residence of an EU citizen and their spouse. In addition, the court ruled that the term "spouse" is gender-neutral and does not necessarily imply a person of the opposite sex.[56][57] The Latvian Government and the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs announced their intention to abide by the ruling. Later that same month, a Russian national, who had married her Latvian same-sex partner in Portugal, received a residence permit allowing her to reside with her spouse in Latvia.[58]

2021 Supreme Court ruling edit

In 2015, two same-sex couples attempted to register their marriages at the Registry Office in Riga, which refused citing Latvia's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. The Administrative District Court, and later the Administrative Regional Court, ruled against the couples, holding that the recognition same-sex marriage was not possible in Latvia and that this was a matter for the Parliament to deal with. In May 2016, the Supreme Court of Latvia overturned the Administrative Regional Court's decision.[59] A court press spokeswoman said that the court agreed with the administrative court that current regulations do not allow for same-sex marriages to be legally recognized in Latvia; however, the matter "should have been considered in a context not of marriage, but of registering familial partnership". Additionally, it would have been impossible to conclude whether the applicants' rights had been violated unless their claim was accepted and reviewed in a proper manner.[60]

In June 2021, the Supreme Court submitted a petition to the Constitutional Court of Latvia and stayed proceedings in the case.[59][61] The Constitution Court had already ruled in November 2020 that the Constitution imposes an obligation on the Parliament to establish a legal framework for same-sex unions, based on the principle of human dignity. In July 2021, the Constitutional Court rejected the petition, stating that the Supreme Court had not properly explained why its November 2020 ruling was not applicable in this case. Subsequently, the Supreme Court ruled in December 2021 that Latvia lacks a civil partnership law and that court rulings could serve as a substitute for the registration of same-sex relationships until lawmakers pass a partnership law. It ruled that same-sex couples could ask regional courts to recognize their relationship in line with the Law on Registration of Civil Status Acts (Latvian: Civilstāvokļa aktu reģistrācijas likums) if the Saeima failed to adopt legislation protecting same-sex couples. The court held that, "The obligation to ensure the legal protection of same-sex couples also follows from the principle of human dignity, which requires recognizing the inherent dignity and equal value of each human being."[27][62] The ruling states:[63]

Until Parliament has created an appropriate legal framework, a judgment establishing that the relationships of certain persons are to be recognized as family relationships within the meaning of Article 110 of the Constitution will replace the registration of these relationships by the State. […] Summarizing the above, it can be concluded that the first sentence of Article 110 of the Constitution, in conjunction with the principle of human dignity, establishes a legal obligation on the State to ensure legal recognition of the family relations of same-sex couples. In the absence of a specific legal framework, the law enforcer, including the court, is obliged to ensure the effective implementation of the Constitution and human rights. […] Therefore, the judgment of the regional court is annulled.

Public opinion edit

The 2015 Eurobarometer found that 19% of Latvians supported same-sex marriage.[64] In 2019, the Eurobarometer showed that support had increased to 24%, while 70% were opposed.[65]

A GLOBSEC survey conducted in March 2023 showed that 40% of Latvians supported same-sex marriage, while 46% were opposed and 14% were undecided.[66] The 2023 Eurobarometer found that 36% of Latvians thought same-sex marriage should be allowed throughout Europe, while 59% were opposed. The survey also found that 35% of Latvians thought that "there is nothing wrong in a sexual relationship between two persons of the same sex", while 59% disagreed.[67]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b The MP did not have the right to vote at the time because they were being prosecuted.
  2. ^ Russian: гражданский союз, pronounced [ɡrɐʐˈdanskʲɪj sɐˈjus]; Livonian: kubsjelāmilieppimi, pronounced [ˈkuˀbsˌjelɑːmiˌli̯epːimi]
  3. ^ In Latvian: Valsts aizsargā un atbalsta laulību — savienību starp vīrieti un sievieti, ģimeni, vecāku un bērna tiesības.
    In Russian: Государство защищает и поддерживает брак – союз между мужчиной и женщиной, семью, права родителей и детей.
    In Livonian: Vald kāitsõb ja tigūb abjelāmiz — īt mīe ja naiz vailõ, aimõ, vaņīmiz ja laps õigiži.[52]

References edit

  1. ^ "Saeima pieņem neprecēto pāru partnerības regulējumu; opozīcija mēģinās sarīkot referendumu". LSM.lv. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  2. ^ LATVIA: PARTNERSHIP LAW PRESENTED TO THE MEDIA AND SENT TO PARLIAMENT
  3. ^ LATVIA: PROGRESS ON PARTNERSHIP LAW
  4. ^ LATVIA KILLS PARTNER MEASURE
  5. ^ (in Latvian) Letter No. 1-8/4 to parliamentary committees on human rights and legal affairs by the Ombudsman J. Jansons 26 January 2012
  6. ^ "Pabriks: Latvijas likumdošanu nevar balstīt uz stereotipiem un idejām par politikas un baznīcas vienotību" (in Latvian). Delfi.lv. 2 June 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  7. ^ ""Mozaīka" prognozē partnerattiecību likuma pieņemšanu tuvākajā piecgadē" (in Latvian). Kasjauns.lv. 7 May 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  8. ^ "Straujuma: Latvijā jārada tiesisks regulējums visu veidu partnerattiecībām" (in Latvian). Kasjauns.lv. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  9. ^ "Saeimā iesniedz priekšlikumu par partnerattiecību legalizāciju" (in Latvian). Latvijas Sabiedriskie mediji. 30 January 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  10. ^ "Latvian Parliament to consider gender neutral partnership law in 2015". Gay Star News. 9 February 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  11. ^ "Noraida Spolīša rosinājumu ieviest dzimumneitrālu partnerattiecību institūtu" (in Latvian). Latvijas Sabiedriskie mediji. 24 February 2015.
  12. ^ "Saeimā noraida rosinājumu ieviest dzimumneitrālu partnerattiecību institūtu" (in Latvian). TV NET. 24 February 2015.
  13. ^ "Coalition sceptical about approving Cohabitation law". Baltic News Network. 24 March 2015.
  14. ^ (in Latvian) Saeimas Mandātu, ētikas un iesniegumu komisija šodien aicina Saeimai noraidīt iniciatīvu par Kopdzīves likumu!
  15. ^ 21st century family requires appropriate legal framework
  16. ^ "Latvia rejects Unmarried Couple's Law intended for cohabiting partners". Baltic News Network. 20 June 2019.
  17. ^ "Lesbisch-schwule Paare in Lettland weiterhin ohne Rechte". Queer.de (in German). 20 June 2019.
  18. ^ "Saeima rejects civil partnership bill". Public Broadcasting of Latvia. 20 June 2019.
  19. ^ "Saeima noraida Dzīvesbiedru likumprojektu". apollo.lv (in Latvian). 20 June 2019.
  20. ^ Dzērve, Laura (20 June 2019). "Neraugoties uz Saeimas balsojumu par Dzīvesbiedru likumu, iniciatori sola neapstāties". Delfi.lv (in Latvian).
  21. ^ "Rinkēvičs par Dzīvesbiedru likumu - zaudēta kauja nenozīmē zaudētu karu". Delfi.lv (in Latvian). 22 June 2019.
  22. ^ "Voting results" (in Latvian). Saeima. 20 June 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  23. ^ "Voting results" (in Latvian). Saeima. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  24. ^ "Saeima noraida pilsoņu iniciatīvu par viendzimuma partneru attiecību reģistrēšanu" [Saeima reject a popular initiative about registration of same-sex relationships]. www.lsm.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2021-06-21.
  25. ^ "PAR VISU ĢIMEŅU TIESISKO AIZSARDZĪBU". ManaBalss.lv - līdzdalības platforma (in Latvian). Retrieved 2021-06-21.
  26. ^ "Satversmes tiesa atzīst viendzimuma pāra tiesības uz bērna dzimšanas atvaļinājumu". www.lsm.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2022-02-11.
  27. ^ a b "Kamēr valsts nav noregulējusi viendzimuma pāru attiecību reģistrācijas jautājumu, to varētu darīt ar tiesas spriedumiem". www.diena.lv. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
  28. ^ Spalvēns, Raivis (2022-02-01). "Viena dzimuma pāru tiesības rosina regulēt ar Civilās savienības likumu". delfi.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2022-02-11.
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recognition, same, unions, latvia, latvia, does, recognize, same, marriage, november, 2023, saeima, passed, legislation, establishing, same, civil, unions, which, subsequently, signed, into, president, edgars, rinkēvičs, january, 2024, scheduled, take, effect,. Latvia does not recognize same sex marriage On 9 November 2023 the Saeima passed legislation establishing same sex civil unions which was subsequently signed into law by President Edgars Rinkevics in January 2024 1 The law is scheduled to take effect on 1 July 2024 On 12 November 2020 the Constitutional Court of Latvia ruled that the Latvian Constitution entitles same sex couples to receive the benefits and protections afforded by Latvian law to married opposite sex couples and gave the Saeima until 1 June 2022 to enact a law protecting same sex couples In December 2021 the Supreme Court ruled that should the Saeima fail to pass civil union legislation before the 1 June 2022 deadline same sex couples may apply to a court to have their relationship recognized The Saeima failed to meet this deadline and the first same sex union was recognized by the Administrative District Court on 30 May 2022 Contents 1 Civil unions 1 1 Background 1 2 Constitutional Court ruling and proposed legislation 1 3 Passage of legislation in 2023 2 Same sex marriage 2 1 Constitution 2 2 Court cases 2 2 1 2018 European Court of Justice ruling 2 2 2 2021 Supreme Court ruling 3 Public opinion 4 See also 5 Notes 6 ReferencesCivil unions editBackground edit On 23 September 1999 the Latvian National Human Rights Office introduced a registered partnership bill to the Saeima On 28 September 1999 the proposal was sent to the Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee of the Saeima for discussion 2 3 but it was rejected by the commission on 30 November 1999 4 In January 2012 the Ombudsman s Office the renamed National Human Rights Office since 2007 recommended that the Parliament rejected registered partnership legislation 5 However after Baltic Pride in June 2012 it was revealed that the Ministry of Justice led by Gaidis Berzins was considering whether to recognise same sex partnerships either as unregistered cohabitation or registered partnerships Defence Minister Artis Pabriks expressed his support for registered partnerships 6 Mozaika Latvia s largest LGBT rights organisation estimated it would take approximately five years to obtain enough political support to pass the bill 7 In November 2014 while commenting on the coming out of the Minister for Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkevics and on his call for the recognition of same sex relationships in Latvia Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma reaffirmed her support for the constitutional prohibition on same sex marriage She also admitted that Latvian law has not yet resolved the question of partner relationships explaining that the non recognition of unmarried couples affects many in Latvia regardless of sexual orientation and that protection of such families needs to be discussed by both the community and the Saeima 8 On 30 January 2015 Veiko Spolitis an MP from the New Unity party submitted a bill to modify the Civil Code to legally recognise same sex partnerships The proposed law would have allowed any two persons to register their partnership and enjoy almost all of the rights and obligations of marriage 9 10 The proposal was rejected by the Legal Affairs Committee of the Saeima on 24 February 2015 11 12 On 23 March 2015 the chairperson of For Latvia s Development Juris Puce launched a signature collection campaign on ManaBalss lv calling for the passage of a cohabitation law in Latvia 13 The signatures were submitted to the Saeima in January 2018 In March 2018 the Mandate Ethics and Submissions Committee recommended 5 4 that the initiative be rejected by the Saeima 5 out of the 9 committee members voted to recommend rejection while the 4 others wanted further consideration 14 In October 2018 the ombudsman called on lawmakers to pass a partnership law for both opposite sex and same sex couples citing statistics showing that about half of Latvian children were born out of wedlock and arguing that these families should enjoy legal protection 15 On 20 June 2019 MPs voted against sending the bill to further discussion and review in parliamentary committees only 23 members voted for the bill 60 voted against it and one member abstained The Development For and New Unity parties and some Social Democrats supported the bill while the remaining Social Democrats Who Owns the State the New Conservative Party the National Alliance and the Union of Greens and Farmers as well as several independents were opposed 16 17 18 19 Supporters of the bill said they would persevere and persuade lawmakers to discuss it again in the future 20 21 20 June 2019 vote in the Saeima 22 Party Voted for Voted against Abstained Absent Did not vote Harmony 6 Valerijs AgesinsBoriss CilevicsVjaceslavs DombrovskisRegina LocmeleEvija PapuleIgors Pimenovs 11 Janis AdamsonsInga GoldbergaAndrejs KlementjevsIvans KlementjevsJanis KrisansEdgars KucinsVladimirs NikonovsVitalijs OrlovsIvans RibakovsArturs RubiksJanis Tutins 1 Nikolajs Kabanovs 4 Sergejs DolgopolovsLubova SvecovaJanis UrbanovicsIvars Zarins New Conservative Party 15 Dagmara Beitnere Le GallaUldis BudrikisJanis ButansJanis CielensGatis EglitisKrisjanis FeldmansAndris KazinovskisAnita MuiznieceLinda OzolaJuris RancansSandis RiekstinsJuta StrikeEvita Zalite GrosaReinis ZnotinsNormunds Zunna 1 Juris Jurass a Development For 11 Dace BlukeMartins BondarsMarija GolubevaDaniels PavlutsArturs Toms PlessDace Ruksane ScipcinskaAndris SkrideMartins StakisMartins SteinsVita Anda TeraudaInese Voika 2 Ilmars DuritisInese Ikstena National Alliance 11 Janis DombravaRaivis DzintarsJanis IesalnieksIlze IndriksoneRitvars JansonsRihards KolsJanina Kursite PakuleInara MurnieceRomans NaudinsEdvins SnoreEdmunds Teirumnieks 1 Aleksandrs Kirsteins Who Owns the State 10 Iveta Benhena BekenaAivars GeidansKaspars GirgensArtuss KaiminsIeva KrapaneJanina KursiteRamona PetravicaEriks PucensIvars PugaJanis Vitenbergs 2 Aldis BlumbergsAtis Zakatistovs a Union of Greens and Farmers 7 Uldis AugulisRaimonds BergmanisJanis DuklavsJanina JalinskaArmands KrauzeMaris KucinskisViktors Valainis 4 Anda CaksaGundars DaudzeDana Reizniece OzolaJanis Vucans New Unity 6 Arvils AseradensAndrejs JudinsOjars Eriks KalninsRihards KozlovskisAtis LejinsInese Libina Egnere 2 Aldis AdamovicsAinars Latkovskis Independents 6 Aldis GobzemsLinda LiepinaInguna RibenaKarina SprudeJulija StepanenkoDidzis Smits Total 23 60 1 16On 29 October 2020 the Saeima voted 55 30 to reject a popular initiative entitled Registration of same sex partners Viendzimuma partneru registresana 23 which called for the passage of a civil union law and had been signed by 10 392 citizens 24 That same day the authors of the initiative started a new petition called For Legal Protection of All Families Par Visu Gimenu Tiesisko Aizsardzibu which had been signed by 23 392 citizens by March 2022 25 Constitutional Court ruling and proposed legislation edit On 12 November 2020 the Constitutional Court of Latvia ruled that the labour law violated Article 110 of the Constitution of Latvia as it did not provide parental leave to the non biological parent in a same sex relationship Although Article 110 has defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman since 2006 the term family is not explicitly defined The court held that the family is not solely a union based on marriage but a social institution formed by close personal ties based on understanding and respect The court ruled that the Constitution requires the state to protect same sex partners and gave the Saeima until 1 June 2022 to amend the labour law and introduce a measure to legally protect same sex couples 26 The Supreme Court ruled in December 2021 that should the government fail to provide a way for same sex partners to register their relationship by the 1 June deadline couples would be able to have their relationship recognized by a court 27 On 2 February 2022 the Ministry of Justice led by Dzintars Rasnacs presented a civil union bill that would have provided same sex couples with some of the rights and benefits of marriage 28 The second largest parliamentary group in the Saeima the New Conservative Party announced its support for the bill despite the party having opposed all previous attempts to establish civil unions The leader of the Social Democratic Party Janis Urbanovics also indicated that the bill might receive broader support from the members of his parliamentary group 29 On 31 March 2022 the Saeima sent the civil union bill to the Legal Affairs Committee and approved it in first reading with those opposed boycotting the vote in hopes that the Saeima would fail to meet the necessary quorum but ultimately failing with exactly half of all MPs participating in the vote 30 31 March 2022 vote in the Saeima 31 Party Voted for Voted against Abstained Absent Did not vote Harmony 4 Boriss CilevicsInga GoldbergaRegina LocmeleIgors Pimenovs 7 Andrejs KlementjevsJanis KrisansEdgars KucinsVladimirs NikonovsVitalijs OrlovsIvans RibakovsArturs Rubiks 2 Sergejs DolgopolovsNikolajs Kabanovs 5 Valerijs AgesinsIvans KlementjevsJanis TutinsZenta TretjakaJanis Urbanovics New Conservative Party 12 Ainars BaskisUldis BudrikisJanis ButansJanis CielensKrisjanis FeldmansLiva KreituseEva MartuzaLinda MedneJuris RancansSandis RiekstinsReinis ZnotinsNormunds Zunna 4 Ieva AkuratereDagmara Beitnere Le GallaAivars GeidansEvita Zalite Grosa Development For 11 Krista BaumaneMartins BondarsIlmars DuritisViesturs LiepkalnsJuris PuceDace Ruksane ScipcinskaAndris SkrideMartins SteinsVita Anda TeraudaInese VoikaGatis Zamurs 1 Aigars Bikse National Alliance 12 Janis DombravaRaivis DzintarsJanis IesalnieksIlze IndriksoneRitvars JansonsAleksandrs KirsteinsRihards KolsJanina Kursite PakuleInara MurnieceIvars PugaEdvins SnoreEdmunds Teirumnieks Union of Greens and Farmers 11 Uldis AugulisRaimonds BergmanisGundars DaudzeJanis DuklavsJanina JalinskaArmands KrauzeMaris KucinskisEdgars TavarsDidzis SmitsViktors ValainisJanis Vucans New Unity 9 Arvils AseradensIveta Benhena BekenaAnda CaksaAndrejs JudinsRihards KozlovskisAinars LatkovskisAtis LejinsInese Libina EgnereKarlis Sadurskis 2 Aldis AdamovicsAldis Blumbergs The Independents 6 Aldis GobzemsIeva KrapaneMaris MozvilloRalfs NemiroRamona PetravicaKarina Sprude Independents 5 Vjaceslavs DombrovskisArtuss KaiminsEvija PapuleIlga SuplinskaAtis Zakatistovs 9 Janis AdamsonsKaspars GirgensJanina KursiteMaris MicerevskisRomans NaudinsEriks PucensInguna RibenaJulija StepanenkoLubova SvecovaTotal 41 7 2 50The bill s final reading was blocked on 2 June due to a lack of quorum as only 40 MPs participated in the vote and Speaker Inara Murniece ended the parliamentary session without the bill being passed The legislation was placed on the agenda for a future sitting of Parliament and needed to pass before the parliamentary election held on 1 October 2022 As a result the 1 June deadline by the Constitutional Court expired meaning that same sex couples could now apply with a court to request recognition of their relationship and enjoy some of the benefits and obligations offered by marriage The Vice President of the Constitutional Court Irena Kucina said that institutions and administrative courts will apply the Constitution directly On 30 May the Administrative District Court in Riga granted the first application from a same sex couple and recognised the public legal existence of their relationship concluding that the couple has a relationship that fits the definition outlined in Article 110 of the Constitution The court lamented that the Saeima had not fulfilled its duty 32 33 34 The Administrative District Court had recognized four same sex couples by 8 July 2022 35 and 16 couples by 28 October 2022 36 The proposed legislation in the Saeima would have established civil unions Latvian civila savieniba pronounced ˈtsivilaː ˈsaviɛniːba b providing some of the rights obligations and benefits of marriage including in the areas of inheritance and tax The bill would have also allowed same sex partners to obtain information on the health of a hospitalised partner and make emergency health decisions receive benefits in the event their partner dies and claim care for their partner in the event that they have a disability Civil unions would have been open to all adult citizens and non residents of Latvia including refugees and stateless people but would not have been allowed to persons who are already married in another civil union or who are blood relatives or related by adoption They would have been registered and dissolved using a procedure similar to that for civil marriage However the bill would have not allowed same sex couples to share a common surname or to adopt In addition parties to a civil union would not have automatically become heirs to the common property but the partners would have been able to draw up a will or a contract of inheritance to legally contract for how their protected common property would have been divided before any eventual separation 37 On 6 December 2022 following the October elections and the formation of a new government the Legal Affairs Committee rejected the proposed civil union bill However registering a relationship with the courts was still possible 38 In January 2023 the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights ruled in Fedotova and Others v Russia that Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights which guarantees a right to private and family life places a positive obligation on all member states of the Council of Europe to recognize same sex partnerships 39 Passage of legislation in 2023 edit Following Krisjanis Karins resignation as prime minister in August 2023 a new government led by Prime Minister Evika Silina and consisting of the New Unity the Union of Greens and Farmers and The Progressives was sworn in on 15 September 2023 A political analyst said The most significant policy shift could be the new government s intention to legislate on human rights such as to try to allow marriages for same sex couples 40 Kaspars Briskens party leader of The Progressives said there is a willingness in the government to work on a new Law on Cohabitation for same sex persons 41 On 26 October 2023 the New Unity party proposed a newly drafted legislative package recognising same sex unions The legislation would establish civil unions providing some but not all of the rights and benefits of marriage On 30 October Prime Minister Silina announced that the coalition government had decided to support the bill and that there was unanimous support for the legislation from The Progressives and the Union of Greens and Farmers as well as Independent MP Olegs Burovs who had previously stated his opposition to same sex unions 42 On 2 November the legislation passed its first reading in the Saeima by a 53 40 vote with all 52 coalition MPs and Burovs voting in favour 43 On 9 November the legislation passed its second and final reading in the Saeima by a 53 43 vote 44 However 34 opposition MPs tabled a motion as provided for by the Latvian Constitution asking President Edgars Rinkevics to delay promulgating the bill until January 2024 Opponents were seeking to collect 154 241 signatures 10 of voters in order to proceed with a referendum on the civil union law Rinkevics reacted This suspension of publication of the law will be done in accordance with the Constitution Saeima deputies have the right to exercise their constitutional rights and now the society citizens of Latvia have two months to support this idea or not Silina welcomed the law s passage tweeting This is a good day Society has taken an important step in creating a modern and humane Latvia 45 The Central Election Commission reported on 26 December that only 16 170 signatures had been collected by then 46 By the deadline on 5 January 2024 only 35 191 signatures had been collected meaning the referendum initiative failed 47 48 The law was subsequently signed by Rinkevics and is scheduled to take effect on 1 July 2024 49 Same sex marriage edit nbsp Laws regarding same sex partnerships in Europe Marriage Civil union Limited domestic recognition cohabitation Limited foreign recognition residency rights Unrecognized Constitution limits marriage to opposite sex couples May include recent laws or court decisions that have not yet entered into effect vteConstitution edit In December 2005 the Saeima voted 65 5 to approve an amendment to the Constitution of Latvia banning same sex marriage 50 The amendment took effect on 17 January 2006 Article 110 reads 51 The State shall protect and support marriage a union between a man and a woman the family the rights of parents and rights of the child c Court cases edit 2018 European Court of Justice ruling edit Main article Coman and Others v General Inspectorate for Immigration and Ministry of the Interior On 5 June 2018 the European Court of Justice ruled that member states of the European Union EU must recognise the freedom of movement and residency rights of same sex spouses provided one partner is an EU citizen 53 54 55 The court ruled that EU member states may choose whether or not to allow same sex marriage but they cannot obstruct the freedom of residence of an EU citizen and their spouse In addition the court ruled that the term spouse is gender neutral and does not necessarily imply a person of the opposite sex 56 57 The Latvian Government and the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs announced their intention to abide by the ruling Later that same month a Russian national who had married her Latvian same sex partner in Portugal received a residence permit allowing her to reside with her spouse in Latvia 58 2021 Supreme Court ruling edit In 2015 two same sex couples attempted to register their marriages at the Registry Office in Riga which refused citing Latvia s constitutional ban on same sex marriage The Administrative District Court and later the Administrative Regional Court ruled against the couples holding that the recognition same sex marriage was not possible in Latvia and that this was a matter for the Parliament to deal with In May 2016 the Supreme Court of Latvia overturned the Administrative Regional Court s decision 59 A court press spokeswoman said that the court agreed with the administrative court that current regulations do not allow for same sex marriages to be legally recognized in Latvia however the matter should have been considered in a context not of marriage but of registering familial partnership Additionally it would have been impossible to conclude whether the applicants rights had been violated unless their claim was accepted and reviewed in a proper manner 60 In June 2021 the Supreme Court submitted a petition to the Constitutional Court of Latvia and stayed proceedings in the case 59 61 The Constitution Court had already ruled in November 2020 that the Constitution imposes an obligation on the Parliament to establish a legal framework for same sex unions based on the principle of human dignity In July 2021 the Constitutional Court rejected the petition stating that the Supreme Court had not properly explained why its November 2020 ruling was not applicable in this case Subsequently the Supreme Court ruled in December 2021 that Latvia lacks a civil partnership law and that court rulings could serve as a substitute for the registration of same sex relationships until lawmakers pass a partnership law It ruled that same sex couples could ask regional courts to recognize their relationship in line with the Law on Registration of Civil Status Acts Latvian Civilstavokla aktu registracijas likums if the Saeima failed to adopt legislation protecting same sex couples The court held that The obligation to ensure the legal protection of same sex couples also follows from the principle of human dignity which requires recognizing the inherent dignity and equal value of each human being 27 62 The ruling states 63 Until Parliament has created an appropriate legal framework a judgment establishing that the relationships of certain persons are to be recognized as family relationships within the meaning of Article 110 of the Constitution will replace the registration of these relationships by the State Summarizing the above it can be concluded that the first sentence of Article 110 of the Constitution in conjunction with the principle of human dignity establishes a legal obligation on the State to ensure legal recognition of the family relations of same sex couples In the absence of a specific legal framework the law enforcer including the court is obliged to ensure the effective implementation of the Constitution and human rights Therefore the judgment of the regional court is annulled Public opinion editThe 2015 Eurobarometer found that 19 of Latvians supported same sex marriage 64 In 2019 the Eurobarometer showed that support had increased to 24 while 70 were opposed 65 A GLOBSEC survey conducted in March 2023 showed that 40 of Latvians supported same sex marriage while 46 were opposed and 14 were undecided 66 The 2023 Eurobarometer found that 36 of Latvians thought same sex marriage should be allowed throughout Europe while 59 were opposed The survey also found that 35 of Latvians thought that there is nothing wrong in a sexual relationship between two persons of the same sex while 59 disagreed 67 See also editLGBT rights in Latvia Recognition of same sex unions in Lithuania Recognition of same sex unions in Europe Same sex marriage in Estonia Same sex union court casesNotes edit a b The MP did not have the right to vote at the time because they were being prosecuted Russian grazhdanskij soyuz pronounced ɡrɐʐˈdanskʲɪj sɐˈjus Livonian kubsjelamilieppimi pronounced ˈkuˀbsˌjelɑːmiˌli epːimi In Latvian Valsts aizsarga un atbalsta laulibu savienibu starp virieti un sievieti gimeni vecaku un berna tiesibas In Russian Gosudarstvo zashishaet i podderzhivaet brak soyuz mezhdu muzhchinoj i zhenshinoj semyu prava roditelej i detej In Livonian Vald kaitsob ja tigub abjelamiz it mie ja naiz vailo aimo vanimiz ja laps oigizi 52 References edit Saeima pienem nepreceto paru partneribas regulejumu opozicija meginas sarikot referendumu LSM lv Retrieved 9 November 2023 LATVIA PARTNERSHIP LAW PRESENTED TO THE MEDIA AND SENT TO PARLIAMENT LATVIA PROGRESS ON PARTNERSHIP LAW LATVIA KILLS PARTNER MEASURE in Latvian Letter No 1 8 4 to parliamentary committees on human rights and legal affairs by the Ombudsman J Jansons 26 January 2012 Pabriks Latvijas likumdosanu nevar balstit uz stereotipiem un idejam par politikas un baznicas vienotibu in Latvian Delfi lv 2 June 2012 Retrieved 11 April 2014 Mozaika prognoze partnerattiecibu likuma pienemsanu tuvakaja piecgade in Latvian Kasjauns lv 7 May 2012 Retrieved 11 April 2014 Straujuma Latvija jarada tiesisks regulejums visu veidu partnerattiecibam in Latvian Kasjauns lv 7 November 2014 Retrieved 9 November 2014 Saeima iesniedz priekslikumu par partnerattiecibu legalizaciju in Latvian Latvijas Sabiedriskie mediji 30 January 2015 Retrieved 8 February 2015 Latvian Parliament to consider gender neutral partnership law in 2015 Gay Star News 9 February 2015 Retrieved 13 February 2015 Noraida Spolisa rosinajumu ieviest dzimumneitralu partnerattiecibu institutu in Latvian Latvijas Sabiedriskie mediji 24 February 2015 Saeima noraida rosinajumu ieviest dzimumneitralu partnerattiecibu institutu in Latvian TV NET 24 February 2015 Coalition sceptical about approving Cohabitation law Baltic News Network 24 March 2015 in Latvian Saeimas Mandatu etikas un iesniegumu komisija sodien aicina Saeimai noraidit iniciativu par Kopdzives likumu 21st century family requires appropriate legal framework Latvia rejects Unmarried Couple s Law intended for cohabiting partners Baltic News Network 20 June 2019 Lesbisch schwule Paare in Lettland weiterhin ohne Rechte Queer de in German 20 June 2019 Saeima rejects civil partnership bill Public Broadcasting of Latvia 20 June 2019 Saeima noraida Dzivesbiedru likumprojektu apollo lv in Latvian 20 June 2019 Dzerve Laura 20 June 2019 Neraugoties uz Saeimas balsojumu par Dzivesbiedru likumu iniciatori sola neapstaties Delfi lv in Latvian Rinkevics par Dzivesbiedru likumu zaudeta kauja nenozime zaudetu karu Delfi lv in Latvian 22 June 2019 Voting results in Latvian Saeima 20 June 2019 Retrieved 21 June 2021 Voting results in Latvian Saeima 29 October 2020 Retrieved 21 June 2021 Saeima noraida pilsonu iniciativu par viendzimuma partneru attiecibu registresanu Saeima reject a popular initiative about registration of same sex relationships www lsm lv in Latvian Retrieved 2021 06 21 PAR VISU GIMENU TIESISKO AIZSARDZiBU ManaBalss lv lidzdalibas platforma in Latvian Retrieved 2021 06 21 Satversmes tiesa atzist viendzimuma para tiesibas uz berna dzimsanas atvalinajumu www lsm lv in Latvian Retrieved 2022 02 11 a b Kamer valsts nav noregulejusi viendzimuma paru attiecibu registracijas jautajumu to varetu darit ar tiesas spriedumiem www diena lv Retrieved 2022 02 11 Spalvens Raivis 2022 02 01 Viena dzimuma paru tiesibas rosina regulet ar Civilas savienibas likumu delfi lv in Latvian Retrieved 2022 02 11 JKP konceptuali atbalsta Civilas savienibas likumu ltv lsm lv in Latvian 2022 02 05 Retrieved 2022 02 11 Saeima konceptuali atbalsta Civilas savienibas likumu viendzimuma paru gimenu aizsardzibai ltv lsm lv in Latvian 2022 03 31 Retrieved 2022 03 31 Voting results in Latvian Saeima 31 March 2022 Retrieved 31 March 2022 Latvian Saeima does not pass Civil Union Law Baltic News Network 2 June 2022 Civilas savienibas likumu aptur ar retu instrumentu Saeimas sedes slegsanu kvoruma trukuma del Neatkariga Rita Avize in Latvian 3 June 2022 Court legally recognizes same sex relationship for the first time in Latvia LSM lv 31 May 2022 Court recognizes another same sex couple as legitimate family Baltic Times 8 July 2022 Court has recognized 16 same sex families so far in Latvia Latvian Public Broadcasting 28 October 2022 Kas isti ir civila savieniba Jauns lv in Latvian 12 June 2022 Saeima s Legal Affairs Committee throws away initiative for legal protection of all families Baltic News Network 2022 12 06 Retrieved 2022 12 13 ECtHR refusal of any form of legal recognition and protection for same sex couples breaches Convention EU Law Live 17 January 2023 Latvia s parliament approves new government The Print 15 September 2023 Progressives hopeful for new same sex partnership law Latvian Public Broadcasting 5 September 2023 Saeima nonak likumprojektu pakotne par partneribas ieviesanu Delfi 30 October 2023 Vesturisks bridis Saeima konceptuali atbalsta partneribas instituta ieviesanu TV3 News 2 November 2023 Latvian parliament legalises same sex partnerships Reuters 9 November 2023 Moser Ethan 10 November 2023 Latvia legalises same sex civil unions with landmark parliament vote Yahoo News UK Little chance of referendum to repeal partnership law in Latvia LSM lv 26 December 2023 Parakstus referenduma rikosanai nesavac partnerattiecibu regulejums julija stasies speka www lsm lv in Latvian Retrieved 2024 01 05 CVK oficiali apstiprina referenduma par partneribas regulejumu nebus LSM lv 11 January 2024 Rinkevics izsludina likuma grozijumus partneribas instituta ieviesanai TVNET in Latvian 19 January 2024 Archived from the original on 19 January 2024 Latvia cements gay marriage ban BBC December 15 2005 Latvijas Republikas Satversme Likumi lv in Latvian Retrieved 12 November 2023 Lețmō Republik Puojpandoks PDF lvportals lv in Livonian Retrieved 12 November 2023 EU states must recognize foreign same sex marriages court Reuters June 5 2018 Rights for same sex married couples to move around the EU confirmed in landmark ruling Yahoo News June 6 2018 Alina Tryfonidou June 7 2018 Rights for same sex married couples to move around the EU confirmed in landmark ruling The Conversation Same sex spouses have equal residency rights BBC News June 6 2018 JUDGMENT OF THE COURT Grand Chamber 5 June 2018 ES Tiesas spriedums laulato draugu Adriana un Kleija izcinita kopabusana in Latvian DELFI 15 June 2018 a b Lieta par viena dzimuma para gimenes juridisku atzisanu Senats versas ar pieteikumu Satversmes tiesa AT GOV LV in Latvian Retrieved 2023 03 24 Supreme Court rules same sex marriage request will be considered Public Broadcasting of Latvia 27 May 2016 Latvijas Republikas Senata Administrativo lietu departamenta Lieta Nr SKA B 2021 Satversmes tiesa 2021 06 07 Nodod jaunai izskatisanai lietu par viena dzimuma para gimenes juridisku atzisanu JURISTAVARDS LV in Latvian Retrieved 2023 03 24 Anon vs Birth Registry Lieta Nr SKA B1 2021 Latvijas Republikas Senata Administrativo lietu departamenta 2021 06 07 DISCRIMINATION IN THE EU IN 2015 PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2016 01 22 Retrieved 2018 05 06 Eurobarometer on Discrimination 2019 The social acceptance of LGBTI people in the EU TNS European Commission p 2 Retrieved 23 September 2019 GLOBSEC Trends 2023 PDF GLOBSEC 2023 p 75 Eurobarometer 2023 Discrimination in the European Union europa eu Retrieved 1 January 2024 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Recognition of same sex unions in Latvia amp oldid 1197665562, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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